International Day of Light 2024: International Day of Light is celebrated every year on 16 May. The day is dedicated to recognizing the contributions of light and light-based technologies in various fields and areas, including arts and culture, education, medicine, communications, science, and sustainable development.
Everyone should celebrate the day this year. The day is observed by the United Nations every year. It is also administered by UNESCO’s International Basic Science Programme (I.B.S.P.).
International Day of Light 2024: History
The day dates back to 1802 when Humphrey Davy invented the electric arc lamp, an early predecessor of the modern electric bulb. Davy's invention was a significant step forward in the history of light, making it possible to produce light for the first time in a practical way.
However, the arc lamp was not practical for everyday use due to its high brightness and susceptibility to burnout. In 1815, Joseph Swan solved this problem by inventing the miner's safety lamp, which used cheap carbonized paper filaments to produce light. Swan's invention was also impractical for everyday use, due to the inefficiency of its vacuum pumps.
However, Edison discovered the flaw in Swan's electric lamp in 1879 and made improvements. Edison's light bulb was first patented in the United Kingdom in 1878.
In the early 1960s, Nick Holonyak, an employee at General Electric, accidentally invented the red LED light. Holonyak's invention was patented in 1965, and in 1990, the blue LED was created by Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano, and Shuji Nakamura. The blue LED won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics for its breakthrough.
International Day of Light 2024: Significance
Today, we celebrate International Day of Light by recognizing the contributions of light and light-based technologies in various fields and areas. Light is essential for our daily lives, as it is used in everything from communication to healthcare.
The ever-evolving nature of light technology is also exciting, with new LED lights offering higher efficiency and a range of new features.
The International Day of Light provides an opportunity to reflect on the importance of light in our lives and to explore the potential applications of light-based technologies.
Celebrating International Day of Light is important to understand its importance in various fields. Light-based technologies are used in healthcare for analysis, imaging, sterilization, genome sequencing, etc. You must celebrate the day.
International Day of Light 2024: How To Celebrate
Let's take a look at a few activities you can try on International Day of Light 2024 to celebrate the event:
Attend Events
On International Day of Light, many organisations and communities conduct forums, fairs, and sessions. You can participate in these events to learn more about the day.
Watch Films
Another interesting way to celebrate International Day of Light is to watch films. You can watch movies and documentaries about the invention of the bulb and electricity. Movies are a great source of information so you can watch them.
Read Books
You can read books about the invention of light. If you are somebody who loves reading, this is the best way to spend the day. Make sure to select an interesting book and start reading.
(Disclaimer: Parts of this article were generated by AI and published after the content was editorially modified and verified by a human based on their own judgement and expertise. The Quint does not publish AI-generated content without direct human involvement and oversight).
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