LED light bulbs are the future. They're better for the environment and the pocket book. But for some people, certain LEDs lights — particularly holiday lights—are also a problem. They flicker in a way that causes headaches, nausea and other discomfort. Today, we visit the "Flicker Queen" to learn why LEDs flicker — and what you can do about it.Wondering about other quirks of lighting and engineering? Email us at shortwave@npr.org – we might cover it on a future episode!
Technology Connections fanbois in 3…2…1…
I love that I get this reference.
I also love that last year he found a company manufacturing strings of white LEDs with colored tips (which is his ideal setup) and said he probably wouldn’t need to make any more annual videos about it anymore.
Cue this year’s video about it lol
✋😐
I grew up with incandescent bulbs, and it was hell. The waste, in both trash and energy consumption, was horrendous.
The (thankfully) short age of flourescent reduced energy use, but the trash was worse, and the light categorically regressive.
LEDs are, in all ways, superior. You buy cheap-ass crap LEDs, you’re going to get a worse experience, obviously. Despite some negatives, LEDs are still the best lighting technology available. Feel free to complain, but there’s no better option right now. Wanting to go back to incandescents is vinyl-turntable-level, selective memory, retro hipsterism. And also super shitty for the environment.
We may be annoying, but we’re right damnit!