For a somewhat different effect, fireworks could be created that would use a gunpowder charge to spray luciferin and luciferase into the air as a very fine mist. It would hang suspended for a while as a glowing cloud of sorts. The stuff's quite safe, and I think it would look neat.

(For those not in the know, that's the stuff inside of glowsitcks, and fireflies.)
-- Madcat, Nov 03 2003

Cyalume Light Sticks http://www.aboutglo...e-Light-Sticks.html
[Letsbuildafort, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

Luciferin Details http://www.lifesci....m/chem/detail2.html
[Letsbuildafort, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 21 2004]

+ I cannot believe this is not baked.
-- ato_de, Nov 03 2003


All the light sticks I've ever seen have cyalume [link] in them ... and they don't glow for very long out of its vaccum-sealed tube. how about instead of blowing them up just have jets spray this stuff all over the place. On the down-side, they're normally not that bright unless its really really dark out ... But on the plus side, you could produce some really neat-o effects.
-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 03 2003


Rocket + Napalm = Fun

For those who want weather resistant fireworks that glow in the dark. +
-- sartep, Nov 03 2003


Don't fireworks already glow in the dark? :)
-- sartep, Nov 03 2003


Perpapse use together with UV light to make the showers of glowing liquid more vibrant.
-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 03 2003


Doing it during the day would allow for maximum UV exposure.
-- Detly, Nov 03 2003


//Don't fireworks already glow in the dark?\\

Well, yes. Killjoy.
-- Madcat, Nov 03 2003


Oh by the way, if you did HALF of the work for this (that is to say, fired just an excitable liquid and not the enzyme) you could shoot UV lasers through the resulting mist and get a reaction.
-- Madcat, Nov 03 2003


[Madcat] - nice. :)
-- Detly, Nov 03 2003


You could release a flock of GFP pigeons?
-- madradish, Nov 07 2003


Actually, [Mr Burns], I think its a derivative of holy crap
-- Letsbuildafort, Nov 07 2003


//The stuff's quite safe//
The liquid is somewhat oily, and doesn't evaporate, which I discovered one time after slinging it all over a room -- and the glowing splatter did indeed "look neat".

It's "non-toxic", but may be a problem in cloud form. Some lightstick info:
"Eye contact may cause temporary discomfort similar to that produced by soaps or shampoos -- rinse the affected area with water. The solutions in lightsticks will stain clothing and soften or mar paint or varnish."
You'll want to keep this stuff from raining onto people, cars, buildings, etc. But other types of glowing materials might work well.
-- Amos Kito, Nov 26 2003


You're right actually, I got a bit in my eye once and it did burn a little. I'm hoping that the stuff will react completely by the time the mist hits the ground. If that sounds bad keep in mind that the conventional fireworks are pretty bad if they aren't "done" by the time what's left of the shells reaches Earth- they set things on fire.
-- Madcat, Nov 30 2003



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