An energy-dense alternative fuel that produces no direct emissions of pollutants or greenhouse gases, hydrogen is being called the key to decarbonisation, the next big thing for generating electricity, power and light. However, since its discovery in 1766, hydrogen has had somewhat of a checkered past-a past that includes the infamous 1937 destruction of the Zeppelin Hindenburg, which exploded over Lakehurst, New Jersey, filling the sky with smoke and fire. There have been several theories as to the root cause of the failure, but one thing is not disputed: hydrogen leaked from the fuel cells, creating a highly flammable mixture that ignited. The reason for the leak and ignition has been subject to several hypotheses, including sabotage, a bomb, an arrow, lighting, electrostatic charge and even a weather phenomenon known as St. Elmo's fire. Whatever the cause, the deadly accident influenced thinking about hydrogen at the time.
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