This interactive kinetic chandelier seems like a flower or a sea creature with its graceful waves of syncrhonized movement. Read the rest

Before he demonstrates an elaborate example of using a laser to push an object, The Action Lab gives an accessible overview of light physics and relativistic mass. Read the rest

This short documentary visits Lite Brite Neon in New York to see how neon lights come to life, with a piece being made from start to finish. Read the rest

Invisible London is a great primer on infrared filmmaking, with lovely shots of London as the backdrop. Read the rest

Sculptor Fred Eerdekens created aluminum and copper works that look like abstract squiggles until lit from the right angle. When lit just right, each spells out a word. Read the rest

What happens when a 32,000-lumen flashlight gets concentrated through a magnifying glass or a fresnel lens? Some cool optics, but not a lot of burning. Read the rest

MIT researchers have figured out how to infuse common plants like watercress and arugula with luciferase, the chemical that makes fireflies glow. The process make the plants emit a dim glow for up to four hours.

Via MIT:

Previous efforts to create light-emitting plants have relied on genetically engineering plants to express the gene for luciferase, but this is a laborious process that yields extremely dim light. Those studies were performed on tobacco plants and Arabidopsis thaliana, which are commonly used for plant genetic studies. However, the method developed by Strano’s lab could be used on any type of plant. So far, they have demonstrated it with arugula, kale, and spinach, in addition to watercress.

For future versions of this technology, the researchers hope to develop a way to paint or spray the nanoparticles onto plant leaves, which could make it possible to transform trees and other large plants into light sources.

“Our target is to perform one treatment when the plant is a seedling or a mature plant, and have it last for the lifetime of the plant,” Strano says. “Our work very seriously opens up the doorway to streetlamps that are nothing but treated trees, and to indirect lighting around homes.”

• Engineers create plants that glow (MIT) Read the rest

Australian-born artist Flynn Talbot is currently exhibiting Reflection Room, a large installation with cool and warm lights meant to evoke the sun setting on the ocean in his hometown of Perth. Read the rest

These easy to hang LED lanterns are great camping, working under a car, or really anyplace that is dark!

Invariably I am searching my tent or van for some small item I critically need, but can not find in the dark. These hanging lanterns make it easy for me to just turn on a light and find what I need.

Solidly made, I take one camping wherever I go and have put the spare in my emergency bug out bag.

2 Pack E-TRENDS Portable LED Lantern Tent Light Bulb for Camping Hiking Fishing Emergency Light via Amazon Read the rest

Hitting the base of a large piece of inexpensive crystal with some LED lights gives a remarkable and lovely effect in this howto video by DIYPerks. Read the rest

Reserachers at Lund Univeristy in Sweden have developed a camera that captures images at a rate equivalent to 5 trillion frames per second, quintupling the previous high mark. Read the rest

If you're a fan of both logs and lights, perhaps a log light would brighten your life. Owen Duggan crafts these beauties in western France. Read the rest

FutureDeluxe created this gorgeous series of procedural animations, physical light, and projection based experiments, all of which is shot in camera. It feels like a dose of mushrooms that only lasts one minute. Read the rest

Paul Schlemmer recently dug up some popular diagrams he made a while back to show how he lit some nice photos. He shares lots of tips and tricks, like how to use your phone's flashlight to give texture to the background. The drawing style is really fun, too. Read the rest

When the fog rolls into Dubai, photographer Daniel Cheong races to the nearest skyscraper to capture some remarkable photos. Day or night, the effect is otherworldly. Read the rest

Here's an inexpensive little project that's pretty easy and looks cool: LED-filled glass lights with concrete bases. Glen at DIY Creators takes you through the process. Read the rest

From the 1930s to the 1970s, Aerolux Light Corporation manufactured "artful gas-discharge light bulbs," lightbulbs containing tiny sculptures that glowed when switched on. From Wikipedia:

Aerolux gas discharge light bulbs contained low pressure gas, either neon or argon, or a mixture of the two. Also within the bulb were metal sculptures coated with phosphors. These phosphors fluoresced when excited by glow discharge. Because glow discharge occurs readily at 110-120 volts AC, one could use these bulbs in standard household lamps in the United States.

(via This is Colossal)

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