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What happens when the lights go out? Chemist Andrea Sella investigates will o' the wisps and other faint phenomena we never see because modern life has eradicated total darkness.

Folk tales are full of fleeting phenomena like will o' the wisps, faint glows that must have spooked our ancestors.

But these days, it's just about impossible to escape the omnipresent illumination of modern life, and these evocative spooklights have vanished like ghosts.

Chemist Andrea Sella explores the science of lights so dim, they can be witnessed only in complete darkness.

From the spontaneous combustion of marsh gas to the lightning sparks emitted by crushed sugar, Professor Sella finds there's more to light than ever meets the eye.

Available now

18 minutes

Last on

Mon 2 Jan 2012 03:32GMT

Broadcasts

  • Boxing Day 2011 19:32GMT
  • Tue 27 Dec 2011 04:32GMT
  • Tue 27 Dec 2011 12:32GMT
  • New Year's Day 2012 22:32GMT
  • Mon 2 Jan 2012 03:32GMT

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