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I do wonder about lasers, removing the protection used to reduce the cost. There were stories of blindness but they seem to have disappeared, maybe they were n

I do wonder about lasers, removing the protection used to reduce the cost. There were stories of blindness but they seem to have disappeared, maybe they were never true - https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14310-party-laser-blinds-russian-ravers/ https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn14310-party-laser-bli... (Party laser 'blinds' Russian ravers) Reported specs from ApeFest here - https://www.bulbs.com/product/TUV30T8-G30T8 https://www.bulbs.com/product/TUV30T8-G30T8 (Same wavelength as a SteriPEN) Philips Sterilamp® brand T8 germicidal fluorescent lamp. 30 Watts and 36" for use in germicidal sterilization applications. Produces UVC radiation. CAUTION: can be very harmful to eyes and skin. DO NOT expose eyes or unprotected skin to these lamps. SERIOUS injury and blindness could result. They were popular during covid. It's undecided how well they worked - DOI:10.1111/php.13418 (Fully exposed in rooms when unoccupied, also a not visible bulb always on)

fensgrim 3y ago
That specific blindness story was debunked later on (~month past initial report); something about having only a single unnamed source touting that story to multiple newspapers. As a russian rave goer: my deepest thanks to aliexpress providing lots of reliable UV LED sources, X-Y lasers etc. It really keeps the (insane) DIY at bay. > they were popular during covid They were popular long before covid: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarzlampe https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarzlampe TL;DR: invented in Germany, 1906; introduced as a nationwide cure for rickets in German children in 1920; adopted by soviet medicide nationwide in 1950s and never really went away As for covid, it did trigger a number of insane DIY projects involving UV light sources; I like this one in particular - https://youtu.be/nFSkBsKAH-A?si=SLgdtdvLcNN-sTs0&t=187 https://youtu.be/nFSkBsKAH-A?si=SLgdtdvLcNN-sTs0&t=187 (yep, that's a 125W streetlight mercury vapor lamp being stripped down into a hard UV hazard.. These go as far as 1000W, though 125W variation is most common and easily obtainable, at cost of $5 per lamp, and ~$30 on spare parts to get it up and running)

fensgrim 3y ago

That specific blindness story was debunked later on (~month past initial report); something about having only a single unnamed source touting that story to multiple newspapers. As a russian rave goer: my deepest thanks to aliexpress providing lots of reliable UV LED sources, X-Y lasers etc. It really keeps the (insane) DIY at bay. > they were popular during covid They were popular long before covid: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarzlampe https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quarzlampe TL;DR: invented in Germany, 1906; introduced as a nationwide cure for rickets in German children in 1920; adopted by soviet medicide nationwide in 1950s and never really went away As for covid, it did trigger a number of insane DIY projects involving UV light sources; I like this one in particular - https://youtu.be/nFSkBsKAH-A?si=SLgdtdvLcNN-sTs0&t=187 https://youtu.be/nFSkBsKAH-A?si=SLgdtdvLcNN-sTs0&t=187 (yep, that's a 125W streetlight mercury vapor lamp being stripped down into a hard UV hazard.. These go as far as 1000W, though 125W variation is most common and easily obtainable, at cost of $5 per lamp, and ~$30 on spare parts to get it up and running)