Tech | October 04, 2009 | 39 comments

A Lamp that Runs on Human Blood

source: http://www.livescience.com/technology/091001-blood-lamp.html

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"What if, every time you wanted to switch on a light, you had to bleed? Would you think twice before illuminating the room, and in turn, using up energy?

That's the idea behind the blood lamp, invented by Mike Thomspon, an English designer based in The Netherlands. The lamp contains luminol – the same chemical forensic scientists use to check for traces of blood at a crime scence. Luminol reacts with the iron in red blood cells and creates a bright blue glow. To use the lamp, you first need to mix in an activating powder. Then, you break the glass, cut yourself, and drip blood into the opening.

"It kind of triggered this thought in my mind, that if energy somehow came at a cost to us, then maybe it would make us think differently about the way we use it," Thompson told LiveScience. The lamp is intended to "challenge people's preconceived notions about where our energy comes from," he said, and it forces the user "to rethink how wasteful they are with energy, and how precious it is."

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Weird! What do you think of the blood lamp and the point it's trying to make?
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