UV Light: Demos & Experiments
An introduction to UV bulbs and tubes
A good introduction to UVA (longwave), UVB (midwave), and UVC (shortwave). The focus of the video are the UV tubes or bulbs mostly used in the past as UV lights. With some considerations of uses and safety. Today, most of these lights are replaced by LEDs, in...
Ultraviolet light: 365nm vs 385nm
An old video with a quick explanation of the light spectrum and why 365nm is important to us as fluorescent mineral collectors (as well as filters) compared to 385nm LED lights (without filters). Of course this video is trying to sell something: a 365nm LED light for...
Greenland Hackmanite: Quick Change Artist, Tenebrescent Champion
This article was originally published on Nature’s Rainbow. Tenebrescence of Greenland sodalite is amazing. This is a piece of a deeply tenebrescent sodalite. Note how when the SW light is first turned on the sodalite fluoresces a bright orange but almost immediately...
A Short History of Fluorescence
Dr. Beniamino Barbieri (of the Fluorescence Foundation) gave a lecture on the history of fluorescence. His slides are reposted here (w/ permission), where they can easily be found by our mineral folks. This was written mostly towards biologic fluorescence, but...
The Rock Cycle Illustrated
Although not specifically fluorescent mineral oriented, these graphics are a great illustration of how our rocks are created. Just add some activators into the cycle and we have fluorescent rocks!Processes that shape the earth's surface are ongoing, continuously or...
What’s the Difference Between Fluorescence and Bioluminescence?
What’s the difference between fluorescence and bioluminescence? We illuminate the biochemical distinctions.
The science of fluorescent minerals by Bob Oblack
A presentation on COLOR & ENERGY... Learn the scientific concepts behind why rocks glow in the dark. This video provides an in-depth look into the science behind fluorescent minerals, presented by Bob Oblack. It covers the science of color and energy, luminescence and...
What is Thermoluminescence?
Thermoluminescence is phosphorescence triggered by temperatures above a certain threshold. This should not be confused with incandescence, which occurs at higher temperatures. In thermoluminescence, heat is not the primary source of the energy, only the trigger for...
Fluorescence Spectroscopy and Zoning of Apatite
At the Rochester Mineralogical Symposium in 2022 Madeline Murchland gave a very nice presentation about fluorescence spectroscopy and zoning in apatite. Here is a recording of her talk.