5 votes

New type of ultraviolet light makes indoor air as safe as outdoors

9 comments

  1. JakeTheDog
    Link
    I would like to see experiments on how this affects the good microbes. I hope it wouldn't turn into another version of anti-microbial antiseptics which turns out is much worse for you than it is...

    I would like to see experiments on how this affects the good microbes. I hope it wouldn't turn into another version of anti-microbial antiseptics which turns out is much worse for you than it is good (and why cleaning wounds with plain soap and water is the new standard). Ideally this wouldn't be installed in every indoor space, but if so, it wouldn't harm our external microbiomes.

    8 votes
  2. [7]
    Grzmot
    Link
    I don't know what to think of this, other than that we may be ruining more than we're saving here. Germs and microbes are, in general, a good thing. They're important to the natural balance of the...

    I don't know what to think of this, other than that we may be ruining more than we're saving here. Germs and microbes are, in general, a good thing. They're important to the natural balance of the world and are a vital part of our own health. Killing 98% of them doesn't seem like it would be a good idea for anything other than an operating room and places that vitally need to be sterile.

    6 votes
    1. [4]
      skybrian
      Link Parent
      The ecological concern doesn't seem too plausible to me. You might kill off 98% of microbes in a room, but there are plenty more microbes outside, and they grow back quickly and easily. This...

      The ecological concern doesn't seem too plausible to me. You might kill off 98% of microbes in a room, but there are plenty more microbes outside, and they grow back quickly and easily.

      This concern seems like being worried about refrigeration, or soap and water. I don't think we could have a significant effect on microbe ecology no matter how hard we try. There are too many and they are everywhere.

      A somewhat more plausible concern is that excessive cleanliness might not be great for growing children because their immune systems don't get enough exposure. But the parents and children I can think of definitely don't have that problem.

      4 votes
      1. [3]
        Grzmot
        Link Parent
        This was what I was getting at (and failed to clearly describe). I remember a time when lots of soaps were getting advertised as "killing 99,9% of all bacteria". It has seemingly died down, but I...

        A somewhat more plausible concern is that excessive cleanliness might not be great for growing children because their immune systems don't get enough exposure. But the parents and children I can think of definitely don't have that problem.

        This was what I was getting at (and failed to clearly describe). I remember a time when lots of soaps were getting advertised as "killing 99,9% of all bacteria". It has seemingly died down, but I also don't watch that much TV anymore and am fairly isolated from advertisement. Sterile environments are not healthy, and I can already see the big push to sell these to private home owners, who would get bombarded with safety advertisement in relation to covid.

        1 vote
        1. psi
          Link Parent
          That's probably because the FDA passed a rule banning the marketing of antibacterial soap. Turns out it's not any more effective than regular soap and water.

          I remember a time when lots of soaps were getting advertised as "killing 99,9% of all bacteria".

          That's probably because the FDA passed a rule banning the marketing of antibacterial soap. Turns out it's not any more effective than regular soap and water.

          7 votes
        2. skybrian
          Link Parent
          There might be some more-sterile places to cut down on viral transmission at events, but nobody is going to be there all the time unless they really have to be there. Someone with severe...

          There might be some more-sterile places to cut down on viral transmission at events, but nobody is going to be there all the time unless they really have to be there. Someone with severe immunodeficiencies might do it, but it’s not going to be practical for anyone else. Even when visiting the hospital, as soon as you’re done you go outside.

          2 votes
    2. [2]
      Pistos
      Link Parent
      I don't know enough about the science, but I wonder if "indoors as safe as outdoors" implies that outdoors has some level of safety because the sun itself is doing the job outdoors that this...

      I don't know enough about the science, but I wonder if "indoors as safe as outdoors" implies that outdoors has some level of safety because the sun itself is doing the job outdoors that this artificial light is doing indoors.

      2 votes
      1. Grzmot
        Link Parent
        Since the article takes a heavy lean on COVID and other airborne* diseases I was thinking that it refers only to that and the fact that simply do to being outside, it's very hard to keep a high...

        Since the article takes a heavy lean on COVID and other airborne* diseases I was thinking that it refers only to that and the fact that simply do to being outside, it's very hard to keep a high concentration of microbes because they disperse.

        2 votes
  3. Pistos
    Link
    Okay, but can we then infer that microbes can survive when hiding in the "shadows", such as under desks? Or does reflected Far-UVC light also do the job (bouncing off walls or other furniture, and...

    Okay, but can we then infer that microbes can survive when hiding in the "shadows", such as under desks? Or does reflected Far-UVC light also do the job (bouncing off walls or other furniture, and then into the shadowy areas)?

    4 votes