The Chonkerton

A YouTuber rebuilt a mercury light bulb discovered in 1675

science

More than three centuries ago, Boing Boing reports, a French astronomer named Jean Picard discovered something unexpected in his mercury barometer: when carried through a dark room, the mercury glowed. Scientists of the time called it barometric light and found it fascinating. Recently, a YouTuber recreated the experiment, demonstrating that Picard's accidental discovery still produces light today.

Source: https://boingboing.net/2026/07/23/post-a-youtuber-rebuilt...

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