Researchers Have Created A UV Light That Kills Bacteria Without Harming Humans

It’s widely known that ultraviolet light has bacteria killing properties. Unfortunately, its usefulness is limited since it also harms us. But now researchers have developed a high intensity, narrow spectrum wavelength that’s safe enough to be used as lighting in hospitals.

High Intensity, Narrow Spectrum (HINS) light works by exciting molecules within bacteria to lethal levels, inducing bacterial suicide. Since it’s harmless to humans, it can be incorporated into lighting, keeping areas constantly sterile.

The researchers, from the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, also anticipated that people may not enjoy living in a purple-hued world, so they’ve figured out how to combine it with LED technology for a warmer, more pleasant glow. [University of Strathclyde via Smart Planet via Popular Science]