Creative-Uses

Remember that show that aired a few years back? The one where they guy takes a blacklight into a hotel room and reaveals all of the stains on the bedspread? Well, as gross as those discoveries may have been, watching that show also proved that blacklight can provide more than a groovy ambiance in a college dorm room. It can also make visibe certain things that are not visible in normal light.

First of all, what is black light? Black light emits very little light that is visible to the human eye, with wavelengths that begin at the extreme end of the visible light spectrum and on into the invisible range of short, ultra-violet radiation. Humans cannot see much light coming from a black light, but certain colors, pigments and materials absorb the invisible radiation then emit it, causing a glowing effect. All black lights emit UV rays, but depending on the length of the rays, different black lights can be used for different purposes.

Long wave UV black lights are usually employed in concerts and nightclubs because they are best for making things glow and creating ambiance. Medium wave UV rays are most likely what we saw in the TV show, because they cause certain bodily fluids (like blood, saliva and semen) to light up, and they can also be used to detect security markers in currency, making them useful in crime scenes and forensic labs.  Finally, short wave UV light is used to purify water and for other germicidal purposes.

And now, LEDs are making black lights more accessible than ever. Instead of lugging around a clunky flourescent black light that you have to plug in, for instance, you can get an energy-efficient black light LED flashlight that you can take with you anywhere. Just think, now you can detect all kinds of things in the dark (even certain insects and gems glow under black light). And best of all, you will never have to sleep under a dirty hotel blanket again!