Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia (AFP/Getty Images) (Getty Images)

According to history.com, many experts believe that fireworks originated in China sometime between 600 and 900 A.D., where they were used in religious ceremonies to ward off evil spirits, and spread to Europe during the 13th century. The precursor to modern fireworka was developed in Italy in the 18th century, reports wisegeek.com, when the Italians started creating self-propelled aerial shells that allowed for more impressive pyrotechnic displays.

Today, fireworks are used in celebrations all over the world, from sporting events to national holidays. National independence days, such as the Fourth of July, Cinco de Mayo, Bastille Day and Canada Day, are often accompanied by fireworks displays. Japan has festivals that celebrate the fireworks themselves. These festivals originated as competitions between fireworks crafters according to japan-talk.com. The fireworks festivals typically take place in July and August, japan-guide.com states, and are very popular.

Fireworks have also become commonplace at the Olympic Games. Recent hosts of the Olympics including Beijing, Vancouver and London, all put on amazing displays of pyrotechnic brilliance. New Year's Eve is perhaps the biggest holiday for fireworks globally, as most countries use the Gregorian calendar, and fireworks displays take place from Sydney to New York as one year changes into the next. Fireworks are a huge part of the traditional Chinese New Year celebration as well, which befits the country where they originated.

There have been some concerns about pollution from fireworks. CBCnews.com reports Beijing's city government asked residents to hold off on lighting fireworks during the 2013 Chinese New Year celebration, as the residue from them could have raised the already high amount of particle pollutants in the city to dangerous levels. While an average person in the U.S. who attends a fireworks display once or twice a year doesn't have much to worry about, thedailybeast.com states those exposed to the residue from fireworks on a regular basis, such as theme park workers, could be at risk for respiratory problems.

Fortunately, recent advances in fireworks may solve these problems. NBCnews.com reports in 2004 Disney pioneered a compressed air launching system as an alternative to the gunpowder normally used to launch fireworks, which significantly cut down on pollution as well as enhancing safety. Another green innovation in fireworks has come from the U.S. Army. According to nature.com, in 2011 U.S. Army pyrotechnics experts were searching for a substitute for the toxic barium-based compounds used in signal flares, the same compounds used in conventional fireworks. They discovered that boron carbide matches the light-emitting performance of barium-based compounds, but generates far less pollution.