Another case of lights being useful

[KingGlamis]

So yesterday we took the kids to the AZ Science Center. It's a decent place and fun to go to, but much of their lighting is horrible. Some of the exhibits you really couldn't see what was inside the glass case (insects for example). I saved the day for the kids, having four flashlights on me so we could all closely inspect what we were looking at. The non-flashaholics there (basically everyone but me) looked kind of oddly at me, but then again, I heard several of them staring right into exhibits, only inches away from the glass, say that they couldn't tell what they were supposed to be looking at. :thinking: I'll bet my kids were the only ones of that whole day that got to see the live bat, as it was in complete darkness.

The hardest part was NOT using my lights inside the IMAX theatre when we watched the undersea movie. Those high ceilings with black paint on them were just begging for a beam shot test. But I held off, knowing that my wife would kill me and would probably have help from other patrons.

 

[light_emitting_dude]

Some restaurants have very dim lighting and I have been tempted to illuminate my meal with one of my lights! I would like to see what I am eating. And yes the wife wanting to kill me also kept me from doing so.

Maybe the lights in the exhibit were dim to preserve the exhibits? I know that older paintings are sensative to lights but not insects. Glad to hear you got some good use out of your lights!

 

[LukeA]

Museums often have display problems. I was once forced to use a Leatherman to rotate a polarizing filter which the setscrew from the knob had totally stripped out. (The knob was gone, all that was left was a post.)

 

[jzmtl]

So yesterday we took the kids to the AZ Science Center. It's a decent place and fun to go to, but much of their lighting is horrible. Some of the exhibits you really couldn't see what was inside the glass case (insects for example). I saved the day for the kids, having four flashlights on me so we could all closely inspect what we were looking at. The non-flashaholics there (basically everyone but me) looked kind of oddly at me, but then again, I heard several of them staring right into exhibits, only inches away from the glass, say that they couldn't tell what they were supposed to be looking at. :thinking: I'll bet my kids were the only ones of that whole day that got to see the live bat, as it was in complete darkness.

I don't mean offence but they probably look at you thinking WTF is this dweed doing.

As far as live animal goes the exhibit try to preserve their nature environment, in order to keep their biological clock working right. Shining bright light on them might work better for the visitors but will screw them up and probably cause premature death.

 

[KingGlamis]

I don't mean offence but they probably look at you thinking WTF is this dweed doing.

As far as live animal goes the exhibit try to preserve their nature environment, in order to keep their biological clock working right. Shining bright light on them might work better for the visitors but will screw them up and probably cause premature death.

Are you effing kidding? I'm as anti-enviro wacko as they come but still love nature and animals and want to preserve our planet. If they were trying to preserve the bat's "natural environment" they should have left the bat alone and not captured it. You're worried about premature death caused by two-seconds of flashlight light???? How about a life of captivity for a creature that is supposed to live outdoors?

So how about the cockroaches and ants that I shined my light on, did I shorten their life too? Does anyone care? I certainly don't.

 

[Kiessling]

Gentlemen ... no fighting, please, and family-tested language.
Thanx
bernie

 

[jzmtl]

Are you effing kidding? I'm as anti-enviro wacko as they come but still love nature and animals and want to preserve our planet. If they were trying to preserve the bat's "natural environment" they should have left the bat alone and not captured it. You're worried about premature death caused by two-seconds of flashlight light???? How about a life of captivity for a creature that is supposed to live outdoors?

So how about the cockroaches and ants that I shined my light on, did I shorten their life too? Does anyone care? I certainly don't.

If you got a problem with capturing bats, take it up with the museum, I'm just telling WHY it was done. :shrug:

 

[WadeF]

You're worried about premature death caused by two-seconds of flashlight light????

I think what he was getting at was the bat was in the dark for a reason. If they wanted it to be lit up they'd have a light on it, or a button to push that would momentarily light it up. If everyone came in with flashlights and blasted the poor thing all day it would most likely stress it out and result in it dieing prematurely.

I agree, it would be better for the bat if it was free, but I'm sure they have it there to spread awareness that bats are beneficial and people shouldn't fear them, kill them, etc.

 

[KingGlamis]

I think what he was getting at was the bat was in the dark for a reason. If they wanted it to be lit up they'd have a light on it, or a button to push that would momentarily light it up. If everyone came in with flashlights and blasted the poor thing all day it would most likely stress it out and result in it dieing prematurely.

I agree, it would be better for the bat if it was free, but I'm sure they have it there to spread awareness that bats are beneficial and people shouldn't fear them, kill them, etc.

I just laugh at the fact that they had a bat on display, right on a table, but inside a dark small-cave-thingy. Nobody could see the bat without light, so what were they trying to show? It's absolutely rediculous, and more rediculous that some of you are defending the bat. They basically put a bat "in jail" for life yet I am the bad guy for shining a light on him for 2 seconds? Get real people.

 

[WadeF]

It is dumb if they had displays with no way to see them. They could have used a dim red light that would most likely not disturb the bat. Next time take a red filter for your light.

 

[scott.cr]

Yeah!! I did the same thing at the Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago, a place recommended by CPFers when I posted about my trip.

My buddy's boys were trying to get a look at a moon rock, which was in a dark corners. I lit it up with my... Surefire U2, I think it was. I sort of figured that rock spent a few billion years baking in direct sunlight, another 30 seconds of LED illumination won't hurt it.