Preserving glow-in-the-dark art and fashion for future generations

Ars Technica reports that conservationists at the Indianapolis Museum of Art are studying the phosphorescent and fluorescent pigments Stephen Sprouse used in his 1980s collections, hoping to prevent the colors from fading over time. The research was presented at an American Chemical Society meeting in Chicago this week, where scientists explained how such pigments store light energy and release it slowly, a principle first noted in medieval phosphors and later explored by Henri Becquerel. DayGlo paints, which convert ultraviolet light into vivid hues, are among the modern materials the team is examining to keep the iconic Day‑Glo shades bright for future generations.

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