International Day of Light

Consider your life without light, an atmosphere without light; everything and everywhere is darkness; there is no day, only night. Scary, right? What do you think?

Everything requires light; without light, there would be no development and growth of human structure. Be it the field of art, science, discoveries, or travelling; there would be no progression without light. Simply put, Light is an energy which the naked eye can see. To honour the presence of light, a special International Day of Light is celebrated, which we will study in this article.

History of International Day of Light

International Day of Light is celebrated annually on 16 May. It was first celebrated in 1960 on the anniversary of the first successful completion of Laser treatment. It was successfully conducted by Theodore Maiman, a well-known physicist and engineer. Moreover, this day also marks the celebration and implication of science and sustainable development for a better world and order. In a nutshell, this day is celebrated to acknowledge the light and its impact on human life. Furthermore, It also marks the indulgence of light and science in developing arts, cultures, scientific discoveries and new inventions. The presence and impact of light on human civilisation have been discovered from ancient civilisation to modern discoveries like X-rays, cameras and electric light.

History and Discovery of Lights

Though the sun is, a prime source of light ancient humans discovered artificial light in the form of fire by striking two stones together. After that, Egyptians first used oil lamps. Following the Greeks and Romans extracted wax from bees to form and use candles.

In Middle Ages, European alchemists started experimenting with various chemicals to produce lights. The main ingredients of these experiments were phosphorus and other chemicals to find light in the darkness.

Sir Issac Newton, a prominent figure of the 17th century, held many experiments. One famous experiment was the prism experiment, in which he concluded that light is composed of a spectrum of varied colours.

James Clerk Maxwell was another scientist who discovered the electromagnetic nature of light. In the 19th century, he concluded the nature of electricity and magnetism that lay a foundation for making various electric devices.

One more legendary scientist Albert Einstein discovered the speed of light and declared the universal constant of the universe. In the 1960s, finally, the laser was discovered, helping in the evolvement of optics, CD players and barcode scanners. The discovery of the Laser revolutionised various fields, including the nuanced medical field.

With the modern advancement of science and discoveries, light plays a significant role in surgery, quantum cryptography and computing.

Laser is used in various fields nowadays; it is used in cutting, welding, marking, and drilling multiple materials, including metal and other materials. Apart from that, the laser is also used in imaging, material analysis, spectroscopy and quantum phenomenon.

You have often heard of lasers in military warfare, missile defence, communication or target allocation. Moreover, it is also used as a direct instrument to detective enemy equipment.

Last but not least, the laser is also used to determine ocean currents and study aquatic life.

In its entirety, there is a no-life without light. Light binds our society and runs the motors of the world. Be it the medical field, communication, environmental studies, or discoveries, everything runs with light. Light helps in sustainable development and prevents major chaos and accidents. Additionally, light plays a significant role in the agricultural and farming field and is a constant support to the development of technology. At last, all we have to say is to preserve this energy and avoid wastage that can help all coming generations lead a sustainable and smooth life. Let there be hope and light for the celebration and functions of life. Like a small ray of light can reduce the impact of the vast darkness in a room, be a person who is responsible as that ray to contribute to the development of this earth and decreasing pollution. We wish you a happy International Day of Light.