A Source of en-LIGHT-enment

The World's Longest Burning Light Bulb

I remember hearing stories about cross-country road trips to visit oddities: Large Paul Bunion statues, the world's largest ball of twine,  World's Tallest ketchup bottle etc. How about a trip to a light bulb that has been burning for 106 years? 

No, seriously.  A light bulb in Livermore, CA has been burning since 1901.  It's been featured in numerous websites, books, national television shows, NPR and more.  The Guinness Book of World Records has verified this and Ripley's Believe it or Not wants the light bulb when, and *IF* it burns out.  No word if this will happen or not.

Address:   Fire Station #6
4550 East Ave.
Livermore, CA

Visit their web page at:  http://www.centennial bulb.orgy/index.htm

If I were up for a road trip this summer, I'd consider going and having one of the firefighters show me this little unique piece of Americana.

What Shape Sunglasses Do I Need?

It's almost summer.  Some people are probably going to look for new sunglasses this summer.  For me, finding glasses that are the right shape for my face is a hit or miss proposition.  I found this neat little page over at FramesDirect.com that explains what type of faces look best with which shape lenses. 

Basic descriptions are provided for oval, oblong, round, square, and triangular faces and cover both lens shape, size, and frame features.

You can also use the site to upload a picture of yourself and test different frames to see approximately what you would look like wearing the given frames. I have so far wasted too much time this morning contemplating if I look better in Oakley or  Calvin Kline sunglasses...

Link:  http://www.framesdirect.com/face-shape.asp

Laser is an Acronym

Some things I just didn't know:  laser (light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation).

Einstein suggested that these atoms could also be artificially stimulated to emit photons. This stimulated emission of light would produce a highly concentrated, bright, and powerful beam of light that could be used in many tasks.

Today, we find lasers in so many things including laser pointers, medical applinces, industry and more.  Not bad for a technology less than 100 years old.

More interesting laser information: http://library.advanced.org/28160/english/lasers/background.html

Efficient Incandescent Light Bulbs?

Re-inventing Edison: New Light Bulb Will Provide High-Quality Light and Deliver Efficiency Comparable to Compact Fluorescent Lamps

Apparently GE is working on a new high-efficiency Light bulbs slated to come to market in about 3 years.   One advantage to this type of light bulb is that it should have similar lighting spectrum to that of incandescent light bulbs already in use. 

The company is looking to effectively double the current efficiency from about  15  lumens per watt to approximately 30 lumens per watt.  Eventually, the hope to bring the light output on par with  a compact fluorescent light bulb, which is about 4 times more efficient than a normal light bulb.

Solar Lights Used at Middle East Air Bases

Ah, the ever evolving use of LEDs and solar power!  I think I first heard about this type of application several years ago, but it's interesting to see it being put to use.  Installations will run about three-quarters of a million US dollars, but when your infrastructure needs to be set up quickly and is in danger of sabotage, etc. speed and independence from the traditional power grid are pluses.  Now, if the US mainland would just get up to speed and start using more sustainable technologies, that would probably save a lot of costs on energy bills. 

I do wonder though if they run them on generators if there is not enough light for an extended period of time like a major storm system lasting several days or a week.

Link: http://www.solarairportlights.com/ and http://www.lighting.com/content.cfm?id=2471&sid=9&page=/

Wikipedia Article on Light Boxes

Wikipedia has an interesting article on various uses for light boxes in addition to the treatment of  Seasonal Affective Disorder. Different wave lengths of light help various disorders from psoriasis to acne, jaundice,  delayed sleep phases, and some anti-aging effects with visible red light.

Link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_box

Solid State Lighting FAQs

Solid State Lighting continues to become more prevalent.  Solid state lighting differs from conventional lights (like fluorescent and light-bulbs) because they are do not have gases or filaments that are stimulated to produce light.  They give a great description at  http://lighting.sandia.gov that makes this statement:

Solid-state lighting is a new technology that has the potential to far exceed the energy efficiencies of incandescent and fluorescent lighting.  Solid-state lighting uses light-emitting diodes or "LEDs" for illumination -- the same kind of practical and inexpensive devices that provide the letters on your clock radio.  The term "solid-state" refers to the fact that the light in an LED is emitted from a solid object—a block of semiconductor—rather than from a vacuum or gas tube, as in the case of incandescent and fluorescent lighting.  There are two types of solid-state light emitters: inorganic light-emitting diodes (usually abbreviated LEDs) or organic light-emitting diodes (usually abbreviated OLEDs). (For a definition of solid-state, see the explanation from whatis.com.)

The article continues to describe what semiconductors are, what kinds of applications LEDs are useful for, differences between OLEDs and LEDs and many other questions.  It is written in lay terms, so no one should have a hard time understanding it.

Completer Article: http://lighting.sandia.gov/XlightingoverviewFAQ.htm#ssl

Glowing Porkchops?

According to the Globe and Mail, it regularly receives reports of glowing food.  No, its not genetically engineered food, but a side effect of Pseudomonas fluorescens, which has a natural glowing capability that it uses to prevent frost damage to itself.

Link: http://www.mg.co.za/articlepage.aspx?area=/breaking_news/other_news/&articleid=256773

Butterfly wings and LEDs

Butterfly wings are shown to amplify their colors in ways similar to those used in LEDs.

Link: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4443854.stm

Erie Photo

Reuters - Sat Aug 27,11:38 PM ET

As dark falls, all four lanes of Interstate 59 is filled with traffic, evacuating before the second arrival of Hurricane Katrina, as vehicles head north out of New Orleans, Louisiana, August 27, 2005. Residents began to flee the vulnerable city of New Orleans on Saturday as Hurricane Katrina gathered strength in the Gulf of Mexico for a second and potentially deadlier assault on the U.S. coast after killing seven people in Florida. REUTERS/Mark Wallheiser

I don't think that we usually see eight-lanes of outbound traffic at night.  Good luck to all of you in the path of Hurricane Katrina.