Inspired by fireflies, people invented the cold light

FirefliesIt brought enlightenment to scientists for the manufacture of cold light lamps. Scientists know from it that there is a natural existence of cool, noBurnsHuman light source, scientists through the study of fireflies, invented artificial cold light.

Back in the 40s, fluorescent lamps were created based on the study of fireflies.

The source of human lighting has changed a lot. In recent years, scientists have isolated pure fluorescein from the luminous apparatus of fireflies by studying fireflies.

Later, luciferase was isolated, and then fluorescein was synthesized artificially by chemical methods.

Nowadays, people can use the method of mixing certain chemicals to obtain cold light similar to biological light, which is used as safety lighting.

The principle of luminescence of fireflies.

Fireflies are also known as luminous and sedum.

It belongs to the Coleoptera firefly family, a small beetle, because its tail can fluoresce, so it is called a firefly. There are about 2,000 varieties of fireflies, and the color of the cold light they emit varies from yellow-green to orange, and the brightness of the light emitted also varies.

Fireflies have specialized light-emitting cells, and there are two classes of chemicals in the light-emitting cells, one called luciferin and the other known as luciferase. Luciferin can consume ATP under the catalysis of luciferase and react with oxygen, producing an excited state in the reaction.

Oxidized fluorescein, which releases photons when oxidized fluorescein returns from the excited state back to the ground state.

Fireflies and artificial cold light: Converts chemical energy into light energy.

Since the invention of electric light, life has become much more convenient and richer. However, electric light can only convert a small part of the electrical energy into visible light, and most of the rest is wasted in the form of heat, and the heat rays of electric lights are harmful to the human eye. So, is there a light source that only emits light but does not heat up?

Humanity has turned its attention to nature again.

In nature, there are many organisms that can emit light, such as bacteria, fungi, worms, mollusks, crustaceans, insects and fish, etc., and the light emitted by these animals does not produce heat, so it is also called "cold light".

Among the many light-emitting animals, fireflies are one of them. There are about 1,500 species of fireflies, and the colors of their cold light range from yellow-green to orange, and the brightness of the light varies. The cold light emitted by fireflies not only has a high luminous efficiency, but also the cold light emitted is generally very soft, which is very suitable for human eyes, and the intensity of the light is relatively high.

Therefore, biolight is a kind of light that is ideal for human beings.

Scientists have found that the glowing device of the firefly is located in the abdomen. This luminaire is composed of three parts: a light-emitting layer, a transparent layer and a reflective layer. The luminescent layer has thousands of light-emitting cells, and they all contain two substances, luciferin and luciferase.

Under the action of luciferase, luciferin fluoresces when it is oxidized with the participation of intracellular water. The luminescence of fireflies is essentially the process of converting chemical energy into light energy.

Back in the 40s, fluorescent lamps were created based on the study of fireflies, which changed the source of human lighting a lot. In recent years, scientists have isolated pure luciferin from the luminescent device of fireflies, and later isolated luciferase, and then chemically synthesized fluorescein. A biological light source composed of a mixture of luciferin, luciferase, ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and water, which can be used as a flash lamp in mines filled with ** gas.

Since this light has no power source and does not generate a magnetic field, it can be illuminated by a biological light source to remove magnetic mines.

Nowadays, people can use the method of mixing certain chemicals to obtain cold light similar to biological light, which is used as safety lighting.

Fireflies have given scientists a revelation: there is a cool, non-burning light source in nature, first isolated pure lucifer from the luminaire of fireflies, and later isolated luciferase, and then chemically synthesized fluorescein.

A biological light source composed of a mixture of luciferin, luciferase, ATP and water, which can be used as a flash light in mines filled with ** gas. It has been possible to obtain cold light similar to biological light by mixing certain chemicals as a safety lighting.

By studying the luminous principle of fireflies, the cold light lamp was invented.

The cold light lamp was invented by studying the luminescence principle of fireflies, and this technology belongs to biomimicry.

Biomimicry refers to the careful observation and study of organisms by scientists, imitating certain structures and functions of organisms to invent and create various instruments and equipment, some limbs are imitating animals, some are imitating plants, such as cold light imitating fireflies, compound eye cameras imitating flies, thin-shelled buildings imitating the dorsal carapace of turtles, radar imitating the echolocation of bats, and spacesuits simulating giraffes.

The principle of luminescence of fireflies.

Fireflies have specialized light-emitting cells, and there are two types of chemicals in the light-emitting cells, one is called luciferin (in fireflies it is called firefly luciferin) and the other is called luciferase. Luciferin can consume ATP under the catalysis of luciferase and react with oxygen, which produces an oxidized luciferin in the excited state, and releases photons when the oxidized luciferin returns from the excited state to the ground state.

Almost all of the energy released in the reaction is released in the form of light, and only a very small part is released in the form of heat, and the reaction efficiency is 95%, so the beetle will not overheat and burn. So far, humans have not been able to create such an efficient light source.

There are many white patches on the lower part of the abdomen. In fact, it is the part of its carapace that is transparent to light. Inside there is a white film that reflects light. So during the day this part appears white.

The efficiency of fireflies is very high, and they can convert almost all chemical energy into visible light, which is several times to dozens of times the efficiency of modern electric light sources. Because the light source comes from chemicals in the body, the light emitted by fireflies is bright but has no heat, and it does not produce a magnetic field, so people call this light "cold light".Since the light of fireflies does not radiate heat, physicists believe that this is an ideal light, because when something glows, it also generates heat, such as a lit candle.

Another example is when the light is turned on and the bulb is hot. However, people don't need lights to generate heat, and it would be ideal to create light that doesn't heat up like fireflies. More than 30 years ago, people created a fluorescent lamp (fluorescent lamp) that simulated the principle of firefly light, and basically met this requirement.

With the development of science, the application of fluorescence is becoming more and more extensive. Fluorescent light is used to check the bacterial content of food, fluorescent lights are used in mines containing explosive gases, indicator lights in ammunition depots, and luminous lights for underwater operations. American biochemists proposed the principle of electron transfer reaction according to the principle and mechanism of luminescence of fireflies, which can explain corrosion phenomena, photosynthesis, etc., especially the development and utilization of lasers, so he won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1992.