Awesome flesh-burning death lamp. (Germicidal UV)
Why Hacker News recommends it
HN points to BigClive as a source for how cheap UVC lamps actually work and what they emit.
What it is
BigClive tears down and tests a germicidal UVC lamp from eBay that floods a room with narrow-band ultraviolet and ozone. He warns of the eye and skin hazards.
Recommended by 1 HN commenters across 1 different months, 2018 to 2024.
What Hacker News said
Recommends dwroberts · 2023-11 · on “”
BigClive has some interesting videos on these kinds of lights [this video] He also works in events/lighting and has mentioned the risk of events inadvertently sourcing 'cool-looking' lights without understanding what they actually are (germicidal UV lights)
Cites namibj · 2018-10 · on “Sunshine Helps Kill Germs Indoors”
E27 UVC lamps, basically in this case a long CFL with proper UV quartz glass, but without the fluorescent coating, seem to be popular in china to be screwed into the ceiling. See biglive about it: [this video]
Cites byb · 2024-01 · on “Can ultraviolet lightbulbs end the next pandemic before it starts?”
Personally I feel the use of the term "far uv" is very misleading because the 220 nm wavelength is within UVC, and not too far away from 254 nm germicidal UVC. It is always helpful to consult a chart: [LINK] So, from a public health/public education standpoint, I find it troubling that scientific research, which the article points out, is limited in this area. For decades, general advice has been that all UVC is dangerous to all life. We don't know below which wavelength does UVC no longer become harmful to animal (human) cells. Nor do we know if 220 nm wavelength light damage/weaken other materials. I'm not a chemist/engineer so I don't know if theoretical calculations can be made or if a m