Flip a switch and all our microscopic killers are gone

Jul 6, 2015 15:35 GMT  ·  By

Ultraviolet light is no joke. In fact, it is so influential that you could call it God. Still thinking this is a joke?

How about this: ultraviolet light helped make humans and animals be vertebrates by strengthen vitamin D. It helps your immunity system by enabling your skin to cope with bacteria better - we'll return to bacteria right away - and it gives you a nice healthy tan, if you don't abuse it.

However, as most things that help you in life, it also kills you. If it wasn't for the heavily ionized upper atmosphere in our sky, we would've been dead as it would have destroyed our DNA when we were just mushy little bacteria ourselves in the general planetary pond.

And this is where it excels at destroying other, more primitive creatures' DNAs instead of ours.

By replicating and toning down the ultraviolet light, we managed to sterilize ourselves, however, just like in real life, too much exposure will harm us.

As a result, a new type of light fixture called Indigo Clean has been created and it is able to wipe out those dangerous pathogens while still being safe for patients and caregivers. Developed by University of Strathclyde Glasgow, the light looks like any overhead lighting, but when it's switched on, it emits high-intensity narrow spectrum, or HINS, at a wavelength of 405 nanometers, outside of the ultraviolet range that typically harms humans.

Being harmless for humans but still strong enough for surrounding bacteria, the warmer blue color will start a chemical chain reaction in their DNA that stops their growth, prevents their reproduction, and ultimately kills them.

Amazingly, this simple switch-flipping technology will almost immediately disinfect an entire room, making it perfectly habitable for the mysophobe in us.

UV light destroying the DNA of bacteria
UV light destroying the DNA of bacteria

Photo Gallery (2 Images)

405nm UV light bounces in the room for your safety
UV light destroying the DNA of bacteria
Open gallery