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What Is Glitter?

nytimes.com

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Re: What Is Glitter?

#21

Post by ohadron »

cperciva wrote: post #19
ohadron wrote: post #18

Here's a huge thread on Reddit trying to figure out which mystery industry is the largest buyer of glitter: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0... No conclusive results yet, but I believe Reddit will deliver.

I thought the answer was right in the article: Automotive paint. They've got a lot of surface area to cover, and car companies want their vehicles to shine.

Makes sense and could be it, but somewhere in that reddit thread there's a car paint guy who claims they use pure aluminium particles and not just aluminium painter polymer.

Re: What Is Glitter?

#22

Post by darkpuma »

reconbot wrote: post #11
rlglwx wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news but that video was faked.

Faked and discovered to include fake reactions that were then removed, are different situations. Mark has been producing high quality educational and entertaining videos that encourage kids to get into science. I have personally watched kids go nuts over his Fluidized air bed experiments, and convince their parents to try it out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My4RA5I0FKs It sucks there was fake content in there, bu…

I'm a bit more miffed that he didn't make it very clear he didn't create the device. I enjoyed watching the video of the guy who did, but I only got to watch that video because somebody in the last HN thread recommended it.

Re: What Is Glitter?

#23

Post by pjc50 »

> I have no idea how humans figured out how to do that, or why it occurred to them to even try, but it sounds expensive.

I had to check this wasn't Dave Barry writing.

Anyway, this seems to have genuinely been a space age invetion, aluminised mylar: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BoPET

(There is no item of "futuristic clothing" that pins a piece of visual SF to a particular point in history in the 1960s quite like this material. Especially when used for miniskirts.)

Re: What Is Glitter?

#24

Post by schrodinger »

ohadron wrote: post #18

Here's a huge thread on Reddit trying to figure out which mystery industry is the largest buyer of glitter: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0... No conclusive results yet, but I believe Reddit will deliver.

I like the Apple products theory. All those metallic MacBooks, iPhones, and iPads would certainly add up to a massive demand.

Re: What Is Glitter?

#25

Post by dang »

seattle_spring wrote: post #17
dangban wrote: post #3

Whatever it may be, it's likely not safe for living things to breathe-in or to eat.

Hearing about a thief asphyxiating on glitter is so beautiful it should be considered art.

Could you please stop posting unsubstantive comments to Hacker News?

Re: What Is Glitter?

#26

Post by ineedasername »

egwynn wrote: post #16
Flavius wrote: post #12

It's something that should be illegal. It's a health hazard.

You mean like almost every other popular art supply?

Eh, yeah, unfortunately... the arts have a long history of using some very toxic substances. In their defense it wasn't always known at the time.

Re: What Is Glitter?

#27

Post by ken »

cperciva wrote: post #19
ohadron wrote: post #18

Here's a huge thread on Reddit trying to figure out which mystery industry is the largest buyer of glitter: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0... No conclusive results yet, but I believe Reddit will deliver.

I thought the answer was right in the article: Automotive paint. They've got a lot of surface area to cover, and car companies want their vehicles to shine.

I don't think automotive manufacturers would be worried about people knowing that their shiny paint contains glitter. Also, there are a lot of cars in the world, but most just get painted once.

My first guess would be a consumable. Maybe food-related, where we don't expect (or want) glitter. The "toothpaste" guess sounds like it's on the right track. "Fast food" wouldn't entirely surprise me, either.

Re: What Is Glitter?

#28

Post by unixhero »

ohadron wrote: post #18

Here's a huge thread on Reddit trying to figure out which mystery industry is the largest buyer of glitter: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0... No conclusive results yet, but I believe Reddit will deliver.

I too have faith.

If not to that sub, then the peeps over at /r/rbi and /r/whatisthisthing has achieved incredible findings

Re: What Is Glitter?

#29

Post by [deleted] »

cperciva wrote: post #19
ohadron wrote: post #18

Here's a huge thread on Reddit trying to figure out which mystery industry is the largest buyer of glitter: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0... No conclusive results yet, but I believe Reddit will deliver.

I thought the answer was right in the article: Automotive paint. They've got a lot of surface area to cover, and car companies want their vehicles to shine.

[deleted]

Re: What Is Glitter?

#30

Post by code_duck »

cperciva wrote: post #19
ohadron wrote: post #18

Here's a huge thread on Reddit trying to figure out which mystery industry is the largest buyer of glitter: https://www.reddit.com/r/UnresolvedMysteries/comments/a8hrk0... No conclusive results yet, but I believe Reddit will deliver.

I thought the answer was right in the article: Automotive paint. They've got a lot of surface area to cover, and car companies want their vehicles to shine.

I thought the answer was given in the article as Revlon. Nail polish, eyeshadow, lipstick, blush... all can contain micro glitter particles. I wonder, what is the total surface area painted by cosmetics each year?
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