A cannister full of a light foamy material like silly string or slightly tougher than hair mousse. When pressed, foam emerges from the nozzle, expands in all directions and flies out across the room. A shaped nozzle on the can widens and narrows to carve a shape out of the foam, for instance an elephant shape. The foam will be formulated so the result is very light and dries quickly keeping some rigidity (unlike hair mousse which just flops). Perhaps helium (used in some foam fire extinguishers) or methane (also lighter than air, unlike butane) could be used as a propellant to give some lift: not lighter than air, just light.

Everyone knows that blowing pink elephant-shaped bubbles like they blow in Dumbo is physically impossible: bubbles are circular because of surface tension. But a foam shape sprayed from an aerosol has endless fun opportunities: silly string rules, but firing elephants across the room? There might be a size limit, but even little ones would be momentarily entertaining.

Just the thing for that certain time in your party when everyone's a little bit inebriated. You could have fights with different colours. Pubs and clubs could shoot them out of nozzles in the ceiling for them to gently fall to earth. Waking up in a tree afterwards is optional, but to be encouraged.
-- pottedstu, Nov 24 2001

Decoys for my Bass-seeking missile!
-- phoenix, Nov 24 2001


When i was six years old, British Petroleum ran a Ghostbusters promotion where you can purchase a "Ghost in a Can". Naturally, this curious young person opened it to reveal...nothing at all! Not even an inkling of paranormal activity afterwards.

What a rip-off.
-- mrkillboy, Nov 25 2001


yeah, sure, this would be nice for pretending i'm drunk in a 1940s movie, but i won't be impressed until you also have a sprayable mouse that will freak the elephant out and chase it around the room.
-- subgenius, Jul 05 2002


nice for the party season
-- po, Dec 14 2002



random, halfbakery