Learning about Photons and The Electromagnetic Spectrum

Have you heard of photons? Photons exist in many energy wavelengths that make up the electromagnetic spectrum. Below are some resources to learn more about the intriguing topic of photons!

Resource #1: How animals and humans see the world.

Many animals sense light differently from humans. This video explains how 20 different animals see the world, from dogs to turtles: 

To understand in more detail how humans actually sense colors, check out this TED talk on the subject:

Resource #2: The glowing human body

Science researchers have discovered that humans emit visible light, in a range that changes throughout the day. This article explains the research process, and the short video below describes the scientists' findings:

Resource #3: Silicon emitting light?

Silicon, a key ingredient in computer chips, has recently been made to emit photons. Scientists have been trying to do this for over 50 years, and have only recently succeeded. This exciting breakthrough opens up the possibility of data-carrying photons and using photons in computer chips!

Check out this Wired article to learn more. 

Resource #4: How do lasers work?  

One amazing use of photons is in lasers. This short video explains, in accessible language, how lasers work: