Out o f t he E t her 2 0 17
Photo Shane Epping
Tr u e/F a l s e Fi l m F e s t
Miraculous things hide in plain sight. The rare noble gas neon (atomic symbol Ne, atomic number 10) is generally colorless, lighter than air, and exists in infinitesimal amounts. Often mistaken for being aloof because it won’t combine with other elements, neon turns out to be exceedingly playful: when voltage is applied to electrodes in a glass tube, neon emanates a brilliant, reddish-orange glow. Neon signs were first unveiled at the Paris Motor Show in 1910. It took a dozen years for captured neon to migrate to the U.S., popping up at a Packard dealership in Los Angeles, then quickly made its mark in spectacular movie theater marquees.