People Emit Visible Light

An Anonymous Reader writes "The human body literally glows, emitting a visible light in extremely small quantities at levels that rise and fall with the day, scientists now reveal. Japanese researchers have shown that the body emits visible light, 1,000 times less intense than the levels to which our naked eyes are sensitive. In fact, virtually all living creatures emit very weak light, which is thought to be a byproduct of biochemical reactions involving free radicals."

Michael Stipe was right!

[scubamage]

So, I guess we really are all "Shiny Happy People!" I suppose next we should begin holding hands.

New definition of visible.

[140Mandak262Jamuna]

So the allegedly emitted light is 1000 fainter than what human eyes can see. Then why call it "visible", meaning viewable, seeable, ocularly pursuable (thanks Charles Dickens, Tale of Two Cities ... it has been a long time since I had the pleasure of ocularly pursuing you ... is Dickenesque for long time no see) ?

May be I can use this definition to claim my code is fully documented when the sole documentation is a line of comment that says, "Someday I should document this insane hack."

Master Yoda called this...

[Casharelle]

Master Yoda called this back in The Empire Strikes Back: "Luminous beings are we...not this crude matter!"

As I always suspected

[Bemopolis]

People are visible, but they aren't all that bright.

Your missing the point

[drukawski]

The important thing here is we just discovered the solution to the energy crisis, all we need are MORE people.
Think about it; if 1 person emits light 1000 times too faint to see, that means 1000 people emit exactly enough light to see. All I need are 1000+ Chinese people willing to stand around in my hallway for a couple pennies a month and I don't need a nightlight to find my way to the pisser at 4am anymore!!!

Obligatory

[Dunbal]

"Luminous beings are we, not this crude matter." - Yoda

Re:As I always suspected

[snspdaarf]

I guess that's why Dad always said, "Rise and Shine!"

Take THAT, Prissy Twilight Vampires!

[cacepi]

You plonks just sparkle. We shine.

Oh, and to E.T.: I've got your ouch right here.

Re:nothing special...

[fmita]

Yes, but you're talking about a blackbody spectrum, whereas the article is implying that this is something else (photons released by chemical reactions, not by the thermal jiggle of charge). See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biophotons [wikipedia.org]

Re:Your missing the point

[bertoelcon]

Wasn't there a film on using humans as a power source, I think it had 3 main parts and some short anime extra bits?

Re:Mood rings!

[Anonymous Coward]

For instance, someone who is emitting a "pensive" light spectrum, along with other biological cues like sweat, and fidgiting may be a good suspect for scrutiny.

So you're saying we should judge people by the color of their skin?

Re:Your missing the point

[killthepoor187]

http://xkcd.com/566/ [xkcd.com]

Absolutely.

[jeffb (2.718)]

How humbling, though, to realize that a four-watt nightlight harbors something like a billion times more chi than you do.

Re:Michael Stipe was right!

[Captain Spam]

Yeah, well, you can just bite my (apparently) shiny non-metallic ass!

Re:Establish in 2005

[schon]

It was re-discovered in the 70s by a German physicist named Fritz-Albert Popp

Soo.. you're trying to tell us that this is just some sort of Popp-physiology?

/me ducks

Re:Michael Stipe was right!

[swillden]

I'm not touching anyone.

And we appreciate that.

Re:Biblical?

[JAZ]

"1,000 times less intense than the levels to which our naked eyes are sensitive"

yeah apparently Japanese scientists have a different definition of visible than I do. I always had that stupid "if I can see it then it is visible, if I can't see it then it isn't visible".

I bet it is just like with cellular mitosis: audibly noisy when my cells divide, just so quiet that I can't personally hear it.

Re:Biblical?

[Anonymous Coward]

What does color have to do with this?

Well if you're black, this means you're probably going to be more popular at raves.

Re:nothing special...

[idontgno]

Tell 'em they'll get lighter.

Leveraging homographs [wikipedia.org] for fun and PROFIT!!!

Re:Biblical?

[maroberts]

The only thing round my Lamb is Mint Sauce (open sauce of course)

Re: Duh?

[Anonymous Coward]

John? The disciples?

Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life."

John 8:12

I assume "no shit, join the club" would be in there somewhere if they had.

Re:Biblical?

[fractoid]

Actually it means he leaves it up to his guests to stick the mint and stuff in the blender, and if they complain about it he'll say "you want coriander? add the damn feature yourself, slacker!"