Lightningcandy solved!

[xp_dazzler]

Wait, hold up.

So apparently scientists have finally figured out why eating lightningcandy creates mouth lightning that normal people can see. Which. Explains. SO MUCH.

...admittedly, the fact that it has to do with UV is kind of obvious in hindsight and I feel dumb for not realizing it?

Comments

[xp_wildchild]

what in the nine circles of potato hell is lightningcandy

[xp_mayhem]

I'm.. yeah? With Kyle on this one. Pop rocks maybe?

[xp_dazzler]

I keep forgetting that not everybody can see it all the time. Have you not seen videos where people eat wintergreen lifesavers really fast and they have blue flashes in their mouths?

[xp_wildchild]

Yeah, that's cool. the nose strips I use to keep me from snoring when I'm not on my own bed also do that if you rip the wrapper open fast too. It's neat as heck.

[xp_dazzler]

Are... are you drunk? What on earth are you talking about?

[xp_wildchild]

nope, can't get drunk. I know about Lifesavers that glow when you chomp them. My no-snore nose things do the same thing too.

[xp_cypher]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triboluminescence

Not sure if that's also the wintergreen thing, but it can happen with certain kinds of adhesives when you pull them apart quickly.

[xp_dazzler]

So the wintergreen thing is because electron imbalances that happen when you break irregular sugar crystals cause nitrogen atoms to release UV light, which is the thing that causes lightningcandy that I can see specifically.

The blue flashes that all the rest of you can see is because a chemical in the wintergreen plant fluoresces blue when exposed to UV light.

I don't think it's the same thing, but it's super interesting.

[xp_dazzler]

...holy shit I just reread that and now it makes sense

AM I DRUNK?! Quick, someone check that koolaid I made!

[xp_mayhem]

I have not but it's very interesting.

[xp_dazzler]

Yeah so it's totally a thing and it has to do with like, sugar crystals and electrons and UV lights and stuff? It's super interesting why normal people can see it.

But, like, I've been able to see it on every hard candy since I was like 12 or something, and now I know why. ...and I know why other people don't.

[xp_spectrum]

Wait, that's a powers thing? 'Cause I see it too and I had no idea no-one else could except crazy light-based power people like us.

[xp_dazzler]

Yeah so when you break a sugar crystal an electron imbalance causes electrons to jump from one side to the other, but on the way they hit nitrogen atoms, which release a flash of UV light.

That's what I (and I guess you?) have been seeing this whole time. It's super interesting.

[xp_wildchild]

HOL UP

wait okay so from what Alison's saying all candy does this for her and Nica, so

LADIES WHAT THE FUCK DOES IT LOOK LIKE IF WE EAT POP ROCKS

[xp_dazzler]

Uh... you ever play video games where like, someone has electrified a floor?

Yeah, it's that but in your mouth.

[xp_hawkeye]

YAY SCIENCE