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Winter's Triboluminescence

© Barbara M. Martin

So often winter days seem dark. So last week I wrote about Luminescences with great enthusiasm; now it's time for triboluminescence. That's triboluminescence as in what makes those wintergreen-flavored candies spark in your mouth. This is what it looks like if you hit the candy with a hammer. (I just knew you'd ask -- here are the hammer-free instructions!)

Technically, triboluminescence is sort of interesting. In fact, it might account for the extra light at the bottom of the sea. Maybe even for the beginning of photosynthesis. But nobody knows for sure; that odd light might be one of the other luminescences instead.

But back to the land of winter, ice and the great Zamboni!

Way back when, making holes in ice used to be big business, a commercial ice block sort of a thing. But the ice block business sure isn't what it used to be: Crystal Creations and Elegant Ice Creations are modern cutting edge examples. What's it like to do that for a living? Here are The Answers to that question and a few more. Feel the urge to try it yourself? Don't miss the Ice Carving Wannabe's Video.

Leave it to Alaska for larger scale projects such as the Alaskan Ice Art Competitions. Before you try this yourself, check out Ice Brick Building At Home (adult supervision required).

Running a bit short on ice? Don't worry -- here's The Fast Way to Grow Your Own Ice Kingdom.

You could also make some ice cream in a hurry if all this talk of ice and exercise has started your tummy growling. Just use nice cold liquid nitrogen to whip some up in a flash -- here's how and don't forget to send me your favorite recipes.

Speaking of liquid nitrogen, if it's so cold then Why Does it Boil? Still speaking of extraordinarily cold things, How About Hi Tc Superconductors?

Back to plain old ordinary supercooling: in gardener-speak that means freezing rain. From the meteorologist's viewpoint, supercooling is how freezing rain happens. Then and again, most summer rains begin as snow so winter isn't the only time ice and snow and weather go together although at my house winter usually means snow crystals, snow crystals and more snow crystals. And sometimes, Isn't It Just Too Cold to Snow?

Snowed In? This time do something useful. Learn your ice facts cold and win trivia contests and games for the rest of your life:

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