UFV London Trip: The Rest of August 18th

It's been a very busy couple of days. I'll begin with the day that I wrote the post "Morning Stroll" (Aug 18). After breakfast I attended a lecture on the chemistry of light. It was a fascinating lecture full of interesting insights into the way that common light sources produce light. We learned about chemical reactions that produce light and the similarities and differences between fluorescence and phosphorescence. Did you know that sunlight or blue light is a common treatment for jaundice?

The three most interesting points of the lecture were: the use of solar panels to power the electrolysis of water into hydrogen and oxygen (with the goal of using it as fuel, I think this is just dandy), the water sterilizing properties of deuterium-plated glass when exposed to UV light (very handy), and the fact that he got away with taking off his shirt to showcase body paint that glows in the presence of UV light (good for laughing).

What I found particularly interesting was when he turned the lights completely out and then turned on some UV lamps with narrow beams. The room was completely dark, but in a line where he pointed one of the lamps, anything white (paper, teeth, clothing) would glow, so the lamps were essentially lighting up the room but by using the glow of other objects about the room. It was very interesting to see where the UV beam was without actually seeing it.

So, alright, alright, enough with the text. Sightseeing that day was excellent; I took a tour bus around London.