[Rockhounds] fossils

Wed Apr 29 11:40:33 PDT 2009

I should have seen that coming... I'll try it right away (LOL)

Cheers Earl... just just made my day

Axel Emmermann
European Regional Vice President of the
Fluorescent Mineral Society
<http://www.uvminerals.org/>
=========================
Mineralogische Kring Antwerpen/Antwerp Mineralogical Society
<http://www.minerant.org/index.html>
Werkgroepleider/Workgroup leader: Fluorescerende mineralen/Fluorescent
minerals
Technische Realisaties/Engineering
My website:<http://users.pandora.be/axel.emmerman/home/>

> -----Oorspronkelijk bericht-----
> Van: rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com
[mailto:rockhounds-bounces at lists.drizzle.com]
> Namens Earl R. Verbeek
> Verzonden: woensdag 29 april 2009 19:46
> Aan: 'Rockhounds at drizzle.com: A mailing list for rock and gem collectors'
> Onderwerp: RE: [Rockhounds] fossils
> 
> 
> Axel wrote:
> 
> Really Kreigh... you should stick EVERYTHING under the UV-lamp.
> You never know what may fluoresce...
> I had a friend who had a argument with his wife because he wanted to test
> her for fluorescence... May sound weird but yes, us fanatics are out there
> ;-)))
> 
> Axel
> 
> OK, friend Axel,
> 
> Below is the text from one of the handouts I give to teachers when they
come
> here for professional development training.  The formatting is gone, but
the
> information is still there.  Comments welcome -- always looking to improve
> and expand these things.  I've got lots of 'em...
> 
>              Cheers-    Earl
> 
> 
> Luminescence of the Human Body
> 
> Many organic substances fluoresce, so it should come as no surprise that
we
> humans do too.  Seeing yourself and others under ultraviolet light can be
> quite an experience.  Before you run for that ultraviolet light, however,
we
> offer two caveats:  First, never use a shortwave or midwave ultraviolet
> light for this purpose, for it can sunburn the eyes in moments, and also
> cause sunburn of the skin.  The only safe light to use is longwave
> ultraviolet light, the ones commonly sold as "black lights" in novelty
shops
> and science stores.  Second, there is no such thing as a beautiful woman,
> handsome man, or cute child under ultraviolet light.  The UV lamp is a
great
> social leveler, turning every one of us into ghouls.
> 
> Should you still decide to look at yourself and/or others under
ultraviolet
> light, here is what to expect.
> 
> Parts of the Body
> Fingernails:  Your fingernails are one of the most brightly fluorescent
> parts of your body and in most people fluoresce bright bluish-white.
> 
> Teeth:  Teeth are brightly fluorescent, creamy white.  A person grinning
> broadly under longwave ultraviolet light is a sight to behold.  Synthetic
> teeth in dentures and caps fluoresce in a range of colors - pink, green,
> blue - depending on the material from which they were made.  People who
have
> had dental work done over a period of decades sometimes have false teeth
> that fluoresce different colors.  Modern braces, those made in part of
> plastic instead of just metal, often fluoresce brilliantly, and sometimes
> quite attractively.
> 
> Eyes- The whites of your eyes fluoresce, as others will see if you open
your
> eyes widely under a longwave ultraviolet lamp.  Your intraocular fluid
(the
> fluid inside your eyeballs) fluoresces too.  If you look directly into a
> longwave ultraviolet lamp (don't ever do this with a shortwave lamp!) you
> will see everything through a pronounced haze because you are looking
> through an eyeball filled with luminous liquid.
> 
> Skin- Your skin fluoresces, not as brightly as your fingernails or eyes,
but
> enough that you cannot hide under ultraviolet light.  Some parts of your
> skin fluoresce more brightly than others.  For example, the palms of your
> hands fluoresce more brightly than the backs.  Freckles will appear as
dark
> spots and typically are more pronounced under ultraviolet light than in
> daylight.  Scar tissue often appears more brightly fluorescent than the
> surrounding skin.  In general, the paler the skin, the brighter the
> fluorescence, as you will see when viewing different parts of your own
body,
> and especially when comparing the fluorescence of people with markedly
> different complexions.
> 
> Hair- Light-colored hair, whether blonde or grey, shows a ghostly white
> fluorescence.  The brightness of fluorescence dims as hair color darkens
and
> in true brunettes is hardly noticeable.  Styling mousses and other hair
> additives can, of course, introduce fluorescences of their own, so even a
> person with black hair can light up in an interesting manner under
> ultraviolet light.
> 
> Body Fluids and Exudates
> 	Discussion of this topic quickly engenders the yuck response in many
> people.  Suffice it to say that nearly everything your body produces, from
> sweat to saliva to fingerprint oils to urine to ear wax to mother's milk
to
> all those other things, fluoresces - some strongly, some weakly - and that
> these things are of more than passing interest to medical researchers and
to
> crime scene investigators for a variety of good reasons.  Within the field
> of criminology, especially, much effort has been expended to study the
> fluorescence of these substances and, where possible, to enhance it for
> detection purposes.  Fingerprint oils, for example, generally fluoresce
> weakly, but suitable chemical treatment can make them fluoresce
sufficiently
> well that good-quality photographs can be taken of them.
> 
> Within the realm of "things to try for fun," the next time you visit a
> doctor for a retinal angiogram, which involves injecting a solution of
> fluorescein into one of your veins, try carrying an ultraviolet lamp with
> you into the bathroom the next time you have to urinate.  Fluorescein is
> eliminated from the body through the kidneys, and the results for a day or
> so after a retinal angiogram are impressive to say the least.  Similar but
> less spectacular results can be had after taking a couple of vitamin B
> tablets.
> 
> Skin Disorders - Rashes, Parasites, Stains, etc.
> 	[Later.  Perhaps never.]
> Some types of ringworm fluoresce.  Gleason reports orange-fl. stains
between
> the fingers of habitual smokers.  Much more exists on this topic.
[Develop
> later]
> 
> 
> --
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