I am not a coffee drinker, just never developed a taste for it, so my morning caffiene comes from iced tea and liking to wake up gently I usually slip into the kitchen to pour a glass brewed the night before. The last two or three mornings, in the dark I have broke out the ice from the plastic twist type ice trays and noticed the weirdness. The instance the ice seperates from the tray there is a tiny flash of light around each cube, like a mini flash bulb. Is this static electricity? Maybe one of those things like the life savers that flash when bit in the dark. Any body else noticed this?

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 12, 2001

Answers

Response to Is this wierd or what?

Mitch, could it be refraction/reflection of the limited light there from the new surfaces you created in the cubes when they crack? I'm not trying to play 'Mr. Wizard' here, but it's about the only thing I can imagine.

I wonder how many people are going to do what I'll be doing tonight; standing in a dark kitchen twisting ice cube trays. ;o)

-- Gary in Indiana (gk6854@aol.com), October 12, 2001.

Response to Is this wierd or what?

I have never noticed this. Mitch--I believe you are a special person with very special powers:)

Did you know that if you chew lifesaver mints in the dark with your mouth open that you will see sparks?

-- Ann Markson (tngreenacres@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

Mitch, what do you smoke at nights? LOL

-- r.h. in okla. (rhays@sstelco.com), October 12, 2001.

Use your powers for Good Mitch. :o)

-- Kenneth in N.C. (wizardsplace13@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

What I'd like to know is what it is that you're freezing. To the best of my knowledge, vodka doesn't freeze!

Seriously, though, have you had your well checked recently?? Maybe something's gotten into the groundwater?

-- Tracy (trimmer31@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

My children probably think I'm nuts, but I just turned off all the lights and twisted some ice trays. No lights. Are you sure you're awake? I know my eyes are more sensitive to any light first thing in the morning.

-- Cathy N. (keeper8@attcanada.ca), October 12, 2001.

I believe it is possible. Sometimes when I sneak real quietly into the kitchen I see my tea bags doing the Macarena !!

-- Glenn (gj_usa1@yahoo.com), October 12, 2001.

Ummm...what "herb" did you say that "tea" was made from????

-- Tracy Rimmer (trimmer31@hotmail.com), October 12, 2001.

Well, It's not ice cubes. But, if folks want to see sparks in the dark, go to the store and buy a roll of wintergreen lifesavers. Pop a couple in your mouth. Go stand in front of a mirror. Turn off the lights. Chomp away.

-- pc (pcha@ludl.tds.net), October 12, 2001.

Hi Mitch,,no suggestion, but sure did get a lot of chuckles from the good humor of our CS friends,,,hope you did too.

-- Patsy, MT (cozyhollow-gal@care2.com), October 13, 2001.

I agree use your powers only for good,seen the film Unbreakable? Ya should! no really, relax, it's physics in action, your are giving the ole ice tray quite a wrench to pop out the ice. betcha don't run it under water first, huh? This is plain old friction by-product of heat & light. now if your vision is good enough to read the differance on a thermo. when this happens we're gonna call you 'capt. hawkeye'! you can do this same stunt w/ tape. put some on the fridge & yank it off tomorrow morning. or a 2am diaper change w/ disposables, rolling your own film to develop in a darkroom, have fun!

-- bj pepper in C. MS. (pepper.pepper@excite.com), October 14, 2001.

I hope someone knows the answer....my own guess is static electricity...I don't have any ice cube trays like that.

But then, I have also noticed that there is light flash produced when you peel apart the flap on the envelopes that come in the mail that have the peel-and-stick gummy stuff (such scientific terms) on them and wondered if that was static electricity as well. It only happens right along the line where the two parts are being pulled apart, and if you squint at it, it sort of looks like lightening dancing along the horizon. Wonder why....

-- julie f. (rumplefrogskin@excite.com), October 14, 2001.

I wish I could remember the details. This was covered in "New Scientist" magazine (they do have a web site). It is basically conversion of mechanical energy (twisting the cubes, breaking the molecular bonds in the envelope gum) into light; but I can't remember the d....d details. I seem to have more and more of these senior moments as time rolls on, for some reason, but I can't imagine why.

-- Don Armstrong (darmst@yahoo.com.au), October 14, 2001.

Don, the fumes of bleached peacock dropping causes this condition!!

-- mitch hearn (moopups@citlink.net), October 14, 2001.