Do you remember those lava lamps that all the teenagers had in their rooms? Have you ever thought about how the mechanism inside them worked?
It has always been a big secret kept by the industry, although as one of the magnates explained at the time, Bryan Katzel, from Schyllingits interior is composed of water, dye and an undisclosed mixture of chemicals.
So, are these lava lamps dangerous if they break and release the chemicals into the air?
It should be noted first that the wax used in the lamp is not beeswax, but paraffin wax, a petroleum derivative.
The large difference in densities between water and wax means that the elements are unable to mix, just as happens with water and oil, for example.
In this way, different layers are established. If the lamp is turned on, the wax layer rises to the top due to the effect of heat, while if it cools it falls to the bottom.
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However, the most curious thing about lava lamps is their secrecy, as the industry has preferred not to reveal their ingredients. Something similar to the Coca-Cola formula.
Some of the chemicals included in these lamps are used to prevent fungi from growing inside the bottle.
Business Insider He has taken apart one of these lamps, which were so widely used in the 1990s, and has found wax that is not wax, water fed with secret additives and an unpleasant smell.
This smell is probably due to the addition of kerosene inside. If you want to know more about these retro decorative items, you can watch the video. That’s the secret!
The origin of lava lamps
Although they are best known for being present in the bedrooms of teenagers in the 80s and 90s, their origin dates back to the 60s.
The person responsible for its creation was Edward Craven Walker, who created the company Mathmos after developing a first model made with water and oil, while living in a rural hotel.
Although no one knew what these lamps were used for, their popularity increased thanks to the Doctor Who series and, curiously, Ringo Starr, drummer of the Betals.
However, not everything remained in the hippie decade as a revolt against the dull world of the post-war period, but it continued into the 90s in the United Kingdom, when these lamps were most popular among teenagers.
Finally, according to the story BBCthere is a whole world related to the collecting of these objects from old science fiction films.
“The most valuable tend to be production series that were limited: those that were not so commercially successful. Also the rare colors, the limited edition astro lamps, the pieces that are historical: lamps from 63, 64, 65,” he assured the BBC Anthony Voz, a collector.
“There’s a huge market on eBay,” he continued. “I was contacted by a guy who lives in Singapore; he has 10,000 lamps. It’s crazy, because once you have one, you want them all.”
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