Black Lights

A lot of people have heard the term black light, but not many people understand just how black lights work, or what they are used for. The term black light is such because the light that emits from these bulbs is so insignificant that it almost appears as if no light is coming out at all. The cause for this low level light is because of a very long ultraviolet wave that emits from it, and the fact that the casing for black lights consist of a dark purple colored glass, also known as Wood’s glass. While black lights do not seem to put out much light to the naked eye, when the light is exposed onto a bright, fluorescent surface the results are stunning. In the 60’s and 70’s, the discover of the black light led to a large manufacturing of velvet posters made with bright, fluorescent colors. When the room was darkened and the black light turned on, the poster would give off a bright mysterious glow. These posters and black lights are still sold today.

Another use for black lights is fraud prevention. Many US agents utilize black lights to help them detect fraudulent money or coins. Many people use these lights to authenticate bank notes and even antiques, noting that the light is able to pick up small cracks in antiques and forgeries on bank notes. Another way that black lights are used is in crime investigation. Often, black lights can pick up traces of fluids such as blood that the normal human eye cannot. If a criminal tries to cover his tracks by “cleaning up” the scene, a darkened room and a black light can often still detect any traces that were left behind. Not only do black lights create a sense of ambience and fun, they are also useful in very important tasks as well.