The Color of the Future: A history of blue

I'm old enough to remember a time before blue LEDs. Funny how they're everywhere now.

I make photo prints using the cyanotype process and a UV LED light source. It's a combination of old and new technologies with a very unique look. While the sensitizing solution contains cyanide, it's fine as long as you wear gloves (and don't drink it).

I just received a blue laser as a throwaway free gift in a package of goods totalling about $50. It wasn't even advertised as a freebie in the website, not even at checkout.

It stuns me, because I am an old enough optical engineer to remember the excitement around the first blue laser. Also, who wants one? Not nearly as bright nor energy efficient as a red one (and the battery died with under a minute of use).

I kind of hate it because blue LEDs trigger my astigmatism so much worse at night than the good old green and orange ones that used to be on appliances. What's the point of a clock if it just looks like streaking blobs from across the room?

Growing up in the 2000s, I've come to associate blue LEDs with tacky cheap garbage appliances, as no sane manufacturer would treat their customers with such contempt. The brightest LEDs were always in the cheapest, lowest quality stuff. Especially the ultra-bright clear ones project onto the wall, with bonus points added for ones driven off unfiltered AC so they flicker as your eyes move around.

It is pretty impressive that such a tiny light can light up a whole room, but it's not the kind of impressive that makes it comfortable to sleep next to one.