Hello! Welcome to my blog. I thought for my very first blog I would write about where it all started for Joe, the creator of Glow Glass LLC. What is the history of photo luminescence?
Around 1602, Vincenzo Casciorola of Bologna, discovered a translucent mineral in fields near Monte Paterna, some 4 miles from Bologna, which when calcined acquired the property of glowing in the dark after exposure to sunlight. Casciorola originally called it the 'lapis solaris' as it appeared to store the light of the Sun. An account was later published by Fortunio Liceti Litheosphorus, sive de lapide Bononiensi lucem, Utino,1640.
This substance appears to be barium sulphide. It was made phosphorescent by being powdered very finely, calcined, then mixed with water or white of egg and fashioned into small tablets, which were again calcined at a high temperature in a furnace using bellows. It then was capable of phosphorescing after being exposed to sunlight. It was called the 'lapis illuminabilis' and attracted the interest of Athanasius Kircher.
There were various kinds of this stone, some glowed like the embers of a fire, others with the characteristic blue flame of burning sulphur.
Most pigments just absorb certain light wavelengths and reflect others, but our Glow Glass Powders also absorb certain wavelengths and re-emit that light energy at different wavelengths. That is, they use energy from the photons in light waves to achieve a glow or “luminescence.” Thus, they are “photo luminescent.” Normal pigments are “passive.” Because of above, our pigments are considered “active.”
Joe has taken this history and created his own pigments that are non-hazardous, non-toxic, non-radioactive, non-carcinogenic, and non-flamable.  If you would like to see what photo luminescence has done to my world, take a look at Joes websites, and start lighting up your world!
 Glow Glass LLC
Joe's Etsy Store