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better to light a candle? [message #52869]

Tue, 02 September 2008 17:53

CallMePaul

Really getting into it

Location: U.S.A.
Registered: April 2007
Messages: 907

>It is better to switch on a small light than to curse the darkness.
>- Vincent Šikula, Slovak writer

That signature of Mark®[Fingolfin] reminded me of something humorous I read once. It took me awhile to google it, but here it is.

She says: It's better to light a candle than to curse the darkness

He says: I wouldn't be so sure, maybe a candle would destroy your night-vision - without the candle your eyes could adjust to the lowered light levels (a process called adaptation)

She says: But if you're in total darkness, there's no light at all to adjust to seeing

He says: Good point, so maybe it should be "It's better to wait for a bit, then, if your eyes don't adjust, you should light a candle rather than curse the darkness"

She says: How long do you have to wait until you know?

He says: Ah well, the cone receptors in the eye - which let you see colour - adapt fully after about 5 minutes. But it takes about 30 minutes for the rod receptors to fully adapt. These are the important ones for night vision, since they are specialised in detecting light or dark - which is presumably the fundamental information you are interested in.

She says: Okay. So it should be "It's better to sit in the dark for up to 30 minutes doing nothing, then light a candle rather than curse the darkness"?!

He says: Oh, you don't have to do nothing. Adaptation happens at the retina. You can prove this to yourself by adapting to the dark and then looking at a light with only one eye. One eye will adjust to the light, and the other (which you kept closed) will keep it's dark adaptation. Now if you go back to darkness you can switch between being blind (in your light adapted eye) and being able to see (in your other eye), just by openning and closing your eyes alternately. So, you can do anything you want with the rest of your brain, it shouldn't matter.

She says: So talking would be okay?

He says: Talking would be fine. Or whistling.

She says: So "It's better to wait in the dark to see if your eyes dark adapt (you can do anything you want while you're waiting) and only then, if they don't, light a candle rather than curse the darkness"

He says: You could even curse the darkness while you're waiting and get it out of the way. And really a red light would be better than a candle, because red spectrum light doesn't affect your dark adaptation (which is why cabin lights in aeroplanes and ships are red).

She says: "It's better to wait in the dark to see if your eyes dark adapt (you can do anything you want while you're waiting) and only then, if they don't, light a candle rather than curse the darkness. But it would be better if you had a red light rather than a candle for preference"

He says: That's it

She says: Snappy. I like it

Sad

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from http://www.mindhacks.com/blog/2005/02/better_to_light_a_ca.html

Youth crisis hot-line 866-488-7386, 24 hr (U.S.A.)
There are people who want to help you cope with being you.

Re: better to light a candle? [message #52870 is a reply to message #52869]

Tue, 02 September 2008 18:22

timmy

Has no life at all

Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13796

Are you sure this isn't "Waiting for Godot" with candles?

Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School

Re: better to light a candle? [message #52884 is a reply to message #52870]

Wed, 03 September 2008 07:07

Fingolfin

Likes it here

Location: Slovakia
Registered: August 2008
Messages: 265

Rolling on the floor laughing... Sad

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I was really pissed of like 30 minutes ago, it all went away with those hospital notes and this one. Thanks a lot guys...

Marek

[Updated on: Wed, 03 September 2008 07:07]

It is better to switch on a small light than to curse the darkness.
- Vincent Šikula, Slovak writer

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