31/01 #4: Flashlights

Everyone owns a flashlight. In this edition of OtherSteve's Tidbits, we'll talk about how exactly they work, and I'll work to convince you that you could use a new, better flashlight. :)

First, the basics: A flashlight is merely a package unit that houses an energy source (batteries) and a light bulb. Standard incandescent bulbs have been around for ages; they're precisely the same as the ones you see in your lamps and fixtures in your home. Their design and concept is quite simple.

An incandescent bulb relies on the properties of photon emission to produce visible light. Photon emission occurs when electrons collide with atoms, bumping some electrons up to higher "levels" on the atom's ring structure. When these electrons return to their normal positions shortly after, they release energy in the form of photons. The electrical current (stream of electrons) in a bulb travels up a wire into a filament -- in other words, a thin piece of metal coiled and connecting the two sides of the circuit together. This filament is enclosed in a small glass tube filled with argon to keep the filament from combusting and burning up.

The reason the filament is so thin is that it makes for more resistance to create more heat. Typically, the photons released by these electrons are in the form of invisible infrared light (in other words, heat), but since light bulbs heat the atoms to such a high temperature, some of the light is within the visible spectrum. Of course, most of the energy is still released as simply heat, making incandescent bulbs extremely inefficient sources of light.

These days, LED (light emitting diode) bulbs have become more popular, and for good reason. Instead of a filament, LEDs make use of a semiconductor (basically, a weak conductor with a surplus of either electrons or holes) to produce the photons -- and they're much more efficient than a filament. Very little infrared light is released; much more of what you see is within the visible spectrum. (Oh, and by the way, an interesting side note: "red" hot means the atoms are just hot enough to emit photons within the low visible range... all the way up to "white" hot, where they're so hot they're emitting the highest frequency of visible light!)

LED flashlights operate under less power as a result, though the diode does take a decent bit of voltage to start glowing. This means that you get lots of light for the price of a little when compared to incandescent solutions. However, there is no "white" LED -- only blue. For that reason, the inner surface of the plastic casing surrounding the LED is coated with a phosphor material that glows and makes the output appear to be white (incandescent bulbs are yellowish anyway; certainly you've noticed).

There are plenty of great LED flashlights, and most of them are better than incandescent versions. But there are a select few that stand out. One of the very best is called the Arc Flashlight. It combines insane durability (Type III Anodized Aluminum casing, epoxy head coating, waterproof to unspecified depths, chemical proof, runs in any temperature) with spectacular performance and efficiency. Regarding the latter, when compared to the 2xAAA Minimag, the 1xAAA Arc Flashlight Premium outputs 540 lux vs. the Minimag's 465. And the battery life is significantly better.

2xAAA Minimag
1xAAA Arc Flashlight Premium

(Thanks to FlashlightReviews.com for the graphs -- check their site for more in-depth information)

Basically this means that you won't have to change your battery for something like a year under normal use. You can't beat that!

Here's a picture of the Arc Flashlight.

Hope you found this post useful, as always!

~os

30/01 #3: Cure your Acne

Hey guys,

I've been trying to do these things on a daily basis, but we all know that probably won't continue.

Regardless, today's fun fact is about acne. Lots of us have it or have had to deal with it at some point in their lives. In fact, something like 80% of teenagers deal with it. So what the heck actually causes it and what is the best method of prevention?

Actually, regardless of what you've been told, there are some pretty clear answers to all of this. First of all, lots of myths surround the causes of acne. In fact, diet (meaning foods you eat) isn't definitively linked, and bad hygiene or a dirty face really don't lead to acne -- that's all BS. The real causes of acne are genetic properties, strong hormones (aggravated by anger and stress), and skin irritation. Granted, there are still some unknown causes as to why certain people suffer and others do not, but it definitely has nothing to do with most of what you've probably been told.

A quick rundown for those who don't know: acne is caused by pore blockage, not from dirt or grit, but rather, thanks to dead skin cells shed in the interior of the sebacious glands. You see, your sebacious (oil) glands -- which, by the way, are entirely separate from your sweat glands -- produce sebum to lubricate your skin and facial hairs. When they are overractive and produce too much oil, the outer skin in the inside of the gland sheds quickly and plugs the pore. Now, bacteria builds up inside the plugged area, and the result is an abscess. Depending on the nature of the abscess, you may end up with either a blackhead or a whitehead.

So how to prevent acne? Well, there are plenty of medications and face washes that purport to help prevent acne. One of these is Proactiv, though unfortunately, it is ridiculously overpriced and includes a harsh facial cleanser that actually works against the preventive benefits of the benzoyl peroxide solution. Other methods include a host of different antibiotics, but their results are highly personalized and they lead to other annoying problems (a recent study has shown that acne antibiotics, whether taken in pill form or topically, result in nearly twice as many colds. The reason is thought to be that by taking them you kill much of the good bacteria that coexist with us in our nasal passages). Finally, you can try tretinoin (Retin-A) and isotretinoin (Accutane), but both -- mostly Accutane -- are tied to some odd health issues (most people find Retin-A to be very tolerable, however).

But there's an even easier way to prevent 90% of acne. A website details the benefits of the common active ingredient in many OTC and prescription acne medications, benzoyl peroxide (the same one found in Proactiv). Unlike salicylic acid, benzoyl peroxide actually kills the bacteria in your sebacious glands by exposing them to oxygen (they are, in fact, anaerobic organisms). All you have to do is this:

1) If you use an electric razor, shave before cleaning your face. If you don't, place this step after cleansing.
2) Find a very, very mild cleanser that does not irritate your skin and wash your face.
3) Dry your face with a towel by patting, not rubbing.
4) Once your face is completely dry, get yourself a tube of benzoyl peroxide 2.5% (higher concentrations offer no better results), apply a lot of it to your face, and rub it in. Make sure to use plenty of it.
5) Once it dries, apply some non-comedogenic and oil-free moisturizer that includes a sunscreen. The one I have linked to is considered to be the absolute best.

Do this twice daily, once in the morning, and once at night.

That's it. Give this a shot, and see if it doesn't work for you. Chances are, it'll work better than any number of prescriptions you're taking. And dermatologists either don't know or don't care.

~os

29/01 #2: Sunglasses contribute to Sunburn

How many times have you seen someone lying on their back tanning, wearing sunglasses, redder than a beet? Even when these people wear consistent levels of sunscreen, they still seem to find inconsistent tanning results. It makes sense that you'd wear sunglasses when tanning to protect your eyes, right? Well, as it turns out, sunglasses actually contribute to unnecessary UV skin exposure and result in dangerous and painful sunburns. Here's why:

When you spend time in the sun, your melanocytes in your skin produce melanin to "coat" your skin with a protective layer against the sun's harmful UV radiation. This process takes hours and works best, as most people know, over the course of a few days. All tanning is is a higher concentration of melanin in the skin thanks to extended UV exposure.

But as it turns out, your pituitary gland plays an integral role in initiating this protective sequence. It must sense UV radiation for your melanocytes to kick into high gear. It also just so happens that your pituitary gland is connected to your optical nerve, meaning that its sole means of measuring the intensity of UV radiation is through your eyes. If you block this radiation from your eyes for extended periods of time -- like people do when they tan for hours wearing sunglasses -- you won't tan; you'll burn to a crisp.

In order to avoid this problem, you simply need to "recalibrate" your body every so often by removing the sunglasses and looking around for a minute or so. That's all it takes.

~os

28/01 #1: Got a Cough? Eat some dark chocolate.

I found this interesting the other day, but I can't remember where I picked it up. Regardless, it originated in the Journal of Health thanks to researchers at a London university.

Dark chocolate contains theobromine, which, according to the study, is MUCH more effective than over-the-counter cough syrups when it comes to preventing coughs. It's even 1/3 more effective than prescription codeine cough medicines, and it carries no side effects. All it takes to receive the necessary dosage of theobromine is around two ounces of dark chocolate (though the concentration of the theobromine is highly dependant, obviously, on that particular brew of chocolate).

How cool is that?

~os