Glow Sticks 101--How They Work

There are several US patents for ' glow stick ' type devices by various inventors most related to the US navy. The first and original was actually invented as early as 1964. In 1976 the patent for the Chemiluminescent Lighting Device was registered. Since that time the simple and safe to use devices have become widely used in many areas. You probably most commonly see them in bars and night-clubs however they are regularly used by emergency services on land and sea. The original design was born out of the need to have a light source without fire, heat or batteries and was readily used by land and marine forces and soon became popular amongst civilian and commercial use. Without fire or battery how do they work? 3 types of light. In all cases atoms are excited to emit light photos. With batteries and other sources of electric currents, light photons are emitted due to heat (incandescence) from the filament of a light bulb, often intensified with reflective backing a...