Why does tonic water glow in the dark

While it may have been a bit weird to read about how your go-to drink or cocktail mixer actually glows in the dark, it turns out that the amount of quinine in tonic water isn't anything to be concerned about. Originally used to help treat malaria patients , Heathline notes that it is safe to consume quinine in small doses, such as the amount found in tonic water. In fact, the amount in tonic water is diluted enough that you shouldn't feel any type of side effects from the beverage — we have FDA regulations to thank for that.

And, per Medical News Today , while the quinine is the component of the drink that adds that bitter bite to it, tonic water really has little to no nutritional value. Ready to jump on the tonic water train? Was this review helpful? Report Inappropriate Comment. Be the first one to review this activity. Active Time. Ask an Expert. Post a Question. Log In to Leave a Review. Explore Our Science Videos. Build a light following robot. Introduction Have you ever been fascinated by things that glow in the dark?

It can be a lot of fun to play with bracelets, wands, and other toys that are glow-in-the-dark, like some stickers and creepy, crawly, plastic insects! When you substitute tonic water for regular tap water when making the Jello, it adds the quinine which adds the glow.

It is better to use light-colored Jello for maximum glow. Quinine an ingredient in tonic water is a fluorescent substance. These substances absorb ultraviolet light and then re-emit it. This glow in the dark jello works just as well in shot form as opposed to a single large mold, a fact that we can personally vouch for. You could also opt for teensy brioche molds, teacups, or, well, heck, just about anything will suffice.

Pour 1 cup gin over the gelatin and let it rest until the gelatin starts to soften, about 10 minutes. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Press ESC to cancel. Skip to content Home Useful tips Does tonic water make things glow in the dark?