That’s right, the unique Nite Glowring is powered by
radioactivity and will emit a glow that can be seen from 30 feet away for up to
10 years. It’s perfect for finding your keys in the dark and an absolute must
for campers – no more playing hunt the zip…
Doubtless you can think of 1001
other uses, but hey, it’s just amazing to watch, and great fun under the bed
sheets. Don’t forget, there are no batteries to buy, ever, and it’ll still be
glowing strong ten years from now. That’s a whole decade’s worth of atomic
illumination for just over £1 a year!
Here’s the science bit. Embedded inside the tough
polycarbonate capsule is a tiny glass tube called a Gaseous Tritium Light
Source. Inside
the tube is a minute amount of radioactive Tritium gas and as it disintegrates
Beta particles (essentially footloose electrons) are emitted that causes luminous
material on the inside of the tube to glow – it's a bit like an old style CRT TV
picture tube. The particles do not leave the glass tube (they can only travel 1
– 3 mm in air and certainly cannot penetrate human skin).