Why are fireworks so mesmerising? The sudden, bright, moving sparks they emit are compelling to watch and seem mysterious because we’re so unused to light of that type travelling directly into our eyes. In general, the colours we see are created by light bouncing off the reflective surfaces of objects around us. As we encounter this reflected light all the time, we’ve become very good at unscrambling the colours in our brain and, as a result, anything different can seem otherworldly. This could be why other sources of moving light, like shooting stars and fireflies, are also thought of as magical.
Another reason we look forward to bonfire night is because fireworks scare us. Unlike dogs and young children, who are simply overwhelmed by the noise, adults are spooked by the unpredictable gap between the flash and the bang. It’s been proven that anticipation makes pain or shock worse, which is why doctors have now been advised not to warn patients a blood test may be painful.
The suspense created in the gap between expectation and event frightens us, which is fun, but only when we’re in control.
Dr Daniel Glaser is director of Science Gallery at King’s College London
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