This is SO cool. Think of (1) the cost savings over time and (2) the reduction of light pollution!
![Clapping :clapping:](./images/smilies/clapping.gif)
Hans, did you invent this? Fess up! (That's "confess!" in Southern English)
![Cheers :cheers:](./images/smilies/cheers.gif)
That looks like a good step up from our roads here. We have recessed amber reflectors running down the center line and white recessed reflectors on the right side of the the road. So called fog lines. They also help to cut down on the idiots who constantly drive with their high beam lights on.mishmish3000 wrote:http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27021291
This is SO cool. Think of (1) the cost savings over time and (2) the reduction of light pollution!![]()
Hans, did you invent this? Fess up! (That's "confess!" in Southern English)
That is a great idea. It will be interesting to see how the test works out.mishmish3000 wrote:http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-27021291
This is SO cool. Think of (1) the cost savings over time and (2) the reduction of light pollution!... snip
I'd be surprised if the lines would be visible from aircraft altitudes. In the photos in the article, they looked rather faint, more like a "nightlight" than a "lamp".Rudi wrote:If a country had to use this paint on all its roads, it would look spectacular from an aircraft at night (or from space when the country is in the dark side of Earth). You'll just see green lines criss crossing the country in the areas without lights.
Oh, wait! It said "when the wearer is aroused"! Nevermindand a dress that becomes see-through when the wearer is aroused.
Quite a list of valid questions you have there!Jay Freedman wrote:There will be a lot of factors to study in the pilot project. Just a few: How much does the glowing paint cost compared to other kinds of road paint/markers? How long does it last on roads with light/medium/heavy traffic? How often would it have to be repainted? How visible/effective is it in rainy or icy/snowy weather? If a day's "charge" makes it glow for 8 hours, does cloudy weather shorten that? Can the glow time be extended with a different formulation?
Also, in midwinter in The Netherlands, it is dark (night) for about 16 hours per day, so the lines would work during the first half of the night only, and not during the morning rush hour...Jay Freedman wrote:If a day's "charge" makes it glow for 8 hours, does cloudy weather shorten that?
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BobH wrote:Very interesting experiments in the use of engineering and technology to solve problems. At this point there are too many unanswered questions to infer that this might be useful beyond bike lanes in the Netherlands, if it is even feasible there.
I very much like the idea of displaying streetlights. I am a member of the International Dark Skies association which works to stop light pollution. Street lights and lighting in parking areas are major contributors to light pollution which need to be curbed then significantly reduced. If this technology offers hope of accomplishing some part of this initiative, I'm all for it if it is economically viable.
I can remember the effects of blackout periods during WWII when I was very young. Although they were not as extensive as those who lived in Europe will remember, it was a significant era for me. I also experienced the exponential growth of city street lighting and advertising lighting as electricity grew less expensive and lighting more efficient. I long for the old days when one could see the stars even though living in the city. Nowadays even living outside the city there is enough ambient light in most places to cause pollution problems for sky observers. Combine the increased amount of particles in the air, their reflective qualities and an enormous number of lumens from unnecessary lighting, and you find that skies are pretty murky by comparison for 50 or 60 years ago.
Despite what many have been induced to believe, when it comes to night time lighting, less is more.
That's my idea of portable night lights. We also have a large group of night visitors that we feed on a regular basis.mishmish3000 wrote:
That purring came from the Bobcats!mishmish3000 wrote:We heard them chittering on the back deck last night! That was a first. We've seen them a lot, just haven't heard them. I didn't know raccoons can purr, too.
The folks who lived out here before us had lights strung up all over--connected with regular old extension cords to the main house. We quickly did away with all that and only have security lights that come on right next to the house with motion detectors. Our skywatching is wonderful!!!
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Interesting. I'll check it out more thoroughly but I just might join up.BobH wrote:Here you go, Bob (and anyone else interested).
Dark Sky