Fission Expedition: Uranium Glass Was Once A Thing

Romans Glow Home

Fission Expedition: Uranium Glass Was Once A Thing

The above selection of uranium glass illustrates the variety of tints and grades of transparency that made this type of glass so popular for so long. We’re talking roughly 2,000 years by the way: the Romans made uranium glass and would occasionally use it in their mosaics. Of course, they didn’t have black light UV lamps back then. Even so, uranium glass emits a barely detectable green glow in ordinary daylight courtesy of sunlight’s natural ultraviolet component. Flickr member muzina_shanghai showcased their, er, showcase of uranium glass in February of 2008.

Simply Marbleless

Fission Expedition: Uranium Glass Was Once A Thing

Fission Expedition: Uranium Glass Was Once A Thing

“You’ll put someone’s eye out with those uranium glass marbles!” You don’t know the half of it, mom. Seriously, a marble that looks like a miniature Loc-Nar just can’t be beat. Imagine showing up in the schoolyard with these bad boys, then lighting ’em up with a mini black light keychain. Then again, storing radioactive marbles in your pockets will earn you an F from Mr. Darwin. Flickr members Orbital Joe and Rui Costa (Radioactive Rosca) snapped these eerie orbs – and lived to tell the tale!

Atomic Tonic

Fission Expedition: Uranium Glass Was Once A Thing

Fission Expedition: Uranium Glass Was Once A Thing

When life gives you lemons, drink lemonade… from glowing green stemmed glasses! All kinds of kitchen implements have been given new (half) life through uranium glass, which seems strange since uranium doesn’t belong anywhere near a kitchen. Flickr member Betta Tryptophan (NagasakiOsada) captured the intense green glow exhibited by their gorgeous uranium glass stemware in May of 2017.