Do Salt Lamps Work?
Do negative air ions improve mood, anxiety, depression, alertness?
Part of this video was sponsored by LastPass, click here to find out more: bit.ly/2RZZTZk
Special thanks to Prof. Jack Beauchamp and Dr. Nathan Dalleska from Caltech for all their help running these experiments and discussing the research. For more, check out the links below:
www.cce.caltech.edu/people/jes...
beckmaninstitute.caltech.edu/e...
If you want to dig into the research on negative ions yourself, I suggest starting with the review studies:
Air ions and mood outcomes: a review and meta-analysis.
Perez V, Alexander DD, Bailey WH.
BMC Psychiatry. 2013 Jan 15;13:29.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...
Air ions and respiratory function outcomes: a comprehensive review
Dominik D Alexander, William H Bailey, Vanessa Perez, Meghan E Mitchell, and Steave Su
J Negat Results Biomed. 2013; 12: 14.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/arti...
Exposure of laboratory animals to small air ions: a systematic review of biological and behavioral studies.
Bailey WH, Williams AL, Leonhard MJ.
Biomed Eng Online. 2018 Jun 5; 17(1):72.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...
Thumbnail photography by Raquel Nuno
VFX by Alan Chamberlain
Sound recording by Whitney Clavin
Motion Graphics by Charlie Kilman
Music from Epidemic Sound: epidemicsound.com "Capture a Picture 1" and "Seaweed"
If the lamp turns on, then the salt lamp technically works. Checkmate Veritasium.
whoa, didn't expect to see you here man.
Veritasium lost some science logic points there xdddd
the epic flipnote man of my childhood
Yeah, I was confused by the title since I thought salt lamps were just decorative lamps, how could they possibly not work.
Veritasium lost. Period. (.)
Never knew those lamps were supposed to produce ions I thought they were just a cool decoration item.
And they are
yeah lmao
@@vapervop did you read the comment?
@@vapervop yes
@@vapervop yes but I never knew that they were even claimed to do that.
The thing with the thunderstorms, oceans and beaches is that they are already quite exciting on their own - so it's normal to feel different/better when experiencing them.
I was wondering how the effect would compare if you put a small fountain of water in your home or office, or even a recording of waterfalls or ocean waves. Also if the ionized air is creating a breeze, has that been tested against a gentle fan for creating the impression of fresh air?
@@grutarg2938 just watching a small fountain would calm me
@@jadedesormeaux6820 Me too! But now I want to know the science of why that works.
Also, most of us experience them only on holiday XD
It's actually because of that that we humans developed that association with serotonin through evolution.
8:51 "So, your conclusion is that it's not producing any negative ions?" "We certainly aren't able to detect any ions." I love his response. It's such a humble, carefully worded, and scientific response. He doesn't say definitively that the salt lamp is not producing ions, just that they simply are not detecting any ions from the salt lamp. It is a subtle but important distinction, and a great example of how easy it is to develop hubris from literally anything if you're not paying attention to yourself. The scientific community - no, the _world_ needs more of this.
i noticed that too, pretty smart of him to word it like that
Alternative perspective is rigor. Rigor and humility may be associated but in this case I tend to focus on the rigor more. I personally practice rigor a lot, on a daily basis, and in casual conversations, rigor may not always be desired. In communication, it seems we oftentimes face a tradeoff between the accuracy of the statements and the cognitive load on the humans.
@@xj-vn4eo I don't think I've heard (or read) the word 'rigor' in the context that you're using it. What do you mean when you say you practice rigor a lot?
@@LochNessHamster Hmm. I mean something like the response you liked, saying stuff in a more rigorous and precise manner.
I noticed that too. Well-chosen words.
I thought salt lamps were supposed to help satisfy your hunger with a simple lick late at night.
Think about how many other people have walked by that lamp, thinking the very same thing... then pulled an Ariana-Grande-not-so-secret-lick in that VERY same spot that YOU just licked👅🤢🤭😉
@@jade8568_VR If its in my room and I live alone whos going to be licking my lamp other than me?
@@parkerbear849 ... i don’t think you want to know
that's the bonus! ;)
Nonono you use it with a cheese shredder if you want to season a late night snack in bed
I like to think that when he's walking with the camera he's actually grabbing us by the throat a dragging us along while rambling about ions and salt lamps
I needed that laugh. Thanks.
LMAO holy I laughed way too hard at this
Now I know how you like to spend your evenings at home.
lol
Hot
I just love how the scientist are so open-ended with their responses. None of them said absolutely not to any experiment. They all said stuff like " i believe or, or it appears to be that way".
hat's the point of science! If you ever hear anyone say something along the lines of "I absolutely know," they're either lying or trying to sell you something.
@@erich930Typically I would use something more along the lines of "The evidence resulting from this experiment supports the claim/argument that...," rather than a statement of personal belief in the claim.
Many scientists do this as a faux humility though. Then under the pressure of the pandemic most of them went crazy for masks and vaccine mandates at Caltech, which was the opposite of being humble or scientific.
@@commscan314 It's unfortunate that doesn't work in day-to-day conversations with, say, your parents, friends or family. People that aren't scientific minded get bored, or don't internalize it if you say it that way. See Veritasium's video about anecdotes vs data (idk the current title, but if you look for "anecdotes veritasium" you'll find it) A compromise I like to use is to reply with "yes, most likely" or "it does seem that way" then add an anecdote. Normal people take that more seriously this way.
That's literally how science works, genius. I know your democrat friends taught you the concept of "The Science is Settled", but no scientific theory is ever "settled". This language is not only normal, it's how it's supposed to be.
My salt lamp totally works! I had a severe lack of glowing rocks and now I have a pretty one to fill the void
I love how humble that man was, didn’t want to say he’s an expert after a mere 55 years of study. Contrary to the guy selling the salt lamp, he had all the answers with zero knowledge.
Good point on the comparison. I started college after 10th grade a "know it all", but now I often say that the most important thing that I learned at MIT was to say "I don't know". I learned it by seeing other experts speak like the one in this video. Once I can admit that what I know is a drop in an ocean of knowledge, it allows me to see that this ocean exists and gives me freedom to begin to explore it.
@@MrStanaland that’s an excellent point. I definitely won’t start at MIT after Sophomore year, but that is definitely something I need to remember. Thank you
The more you study, the more you learn that there's more to learn.
It was also refreshing how Veritasium interacted with the salt lamp seller, Derek wasn't confrontational or arrogant. He wasn't trying to prove the seller wrong or make the seller feel guilty, because he knows that the seller guy just has the wrong info, and that's why he made this video, to give the right info to the people who need it. This is the type of education I like to see, one that doesn't talk down to the uneducated.
Dunning kruger spotted
The fact that you made this whole video without saying the word 'placebo' is impressive
He did imply placebo. The moment he brought up people feeling happier, I was very curious whether the test was blind. Glad that was the point he was working towards.
@@ToonedMinecraft I didn't hear the participants were told to pay attention if they got happier during the experiment. So, they didn't know this could be one of the reactions. In short, academics will only accept ions have a positive effect on humans only if they get an affidavit, signed by the ions themselves, that they influence in a positive way health and mood of humans.
@@O-Kyklop lol. Yeah, that's totally how science is done.
@@CyberSway Yeah. And worse. Much investigations have been done, during the XIX and beginnings of the XX century, where one discovery was that humans cells can emit and receive EM waves. And we got this guy here asking himself if ions have an influence on the human body and mind. And because he knows, the answer must be "No", he overlooks even positive results confirming that ions have that influence.
@@O-Kyklop you have a very conspiratorial mindset.
I think another important thing to point out about the ion "tests" is that doing these tests in things like office settings is a great way, experimentally-speaking, to get a positive result without knowing if you've identified the correct cause. Sure, people probably do notice an improvement in mood and general behavior when an ionizing air purifier is put into the room, but that doesn't just change the ion content of the room. I could very easily imagine introducing an air purifier to an office that previously didn't have one would improve air quality *in general* and improve air flow in a room that's probably rather stuffy otherwise. Sure, it could be the ions... but it could also be a lot of other things.
It’s most likely not ions.
But if they are periodically turned on and off and then see a difference in performance, it would prove it, like they did
@@simoringenfreitag5603not necessarily because turning off the purifier would also change the airflow back to how it was.
@@simoringenfreitag5603 Yeah but what if the air purifier produced a sweet smell like the one tested in this video? That would also obviously impact productivity. The point was a lot of the studies, including that one, were poor quality. That doesn't make them useless, but it does mean the only real conclusion you can draw from them is "it would be good to repeat this study but do some things differently".
I like when people make thumbnails like this. It answers the question and makes you go like: well why doesn’t it work? And then you have to watch the video to find out why. This is a much better strategy than click bait
He tested this thumbnail against clickbait. He made a video about it
He's been studying ions for 55 years? Wow he's really been keeping his ion them
Studying ions for aeons you might say.
damn thats a good one
man
You are my favorite person now.
UNDERRATED COMMENT
Never thought salt lamps did anything besides give off a present soft pink/yellow light that's perfect for a bedside stand. I like them for aesthetics and practicality.
Same
It's a big glowing rock that's perfect for people with light sensitivity (like me). I'd love to get one, but I'm sure my cats would knock it over immediately- mostly out of spite.
What should we investigate next, garlic's ability to ward off vampires?
I have one at my parents' house (wire needs to be fixed) and I liked the glow it had not the ions.
They give off a blue/pink serene aura, if you tune into your feelings you will be able to feel the serene aura
I bought the salt lamp because it looks cool. Didn't know people actually thought they made you happier or something lol
Great video. I’d love to see one on the concept of “Earthing” (connecting yourself to the ground) and maybe one about EMF radiation.
How to solve depression: stand next to a waterfall during a lightning storm, while holding a salt lamp next to the ocean.
To be fair, this might actually work on account of access to nature. A lot of people get depressed simply because they don't go outside enough.
that would seem like a magical place. a waterfall next to the ocean. i imagine it would look beautiful
@JR Well, probably because this video is 2 years old and the comment was a couple of days old on the time when you commented.
🤣🤣
um no they just said the salt lamp doesn't work so no point holding it for anything. Instead hold yourself a nice margarita 😁
I cant stop thinking about how the only reason he made this video was to tell his friend he is wrong.
That should tell you this video isn’t worth watching
Haha, maybe, but cool that some want to give an answer, im kind of the same type of person lol
"Suck it Trent"
He's that friend you need to tell "dude drop it already!" *makes a 3 million views video*
@Benjamin gammer The interesting part was that he got all the scientists to pretend like it was an actual thing to investigate, and not the patent nonsense it really is.
Love this! I have a whole Himilayan Mountain range of these lamps in my house, but have only ever purchased them for their aesthetic qualities, a.k.a their moody pink and orange glow. Everytime anyone comes over and comments on them, I feel I have to give them the disclaimer that I don't actually believe the new-age-woo associated with them, and that they're just for decorative purposes.
Same, I received one from my mother who genuinely does believe in the pseudoscience, but I have to continually remind her of its falsehood. She is not willing to accept it. In the meantime, I have acquired a wonderful mood-lighting lamp.
@@facelessdrone Send her this video? lol!
My entire life I got bad grades in school. Geography was the exception because of the passion I had for Nature... So it was easy to learn something I intuitively understood. But... YOU have made learning any subject a want to do, not a have to do... I am so grateful for the scientific learning you provide on Veritasium! I wish people like you ran schools across the planet. We wouldn't be in this divided world if education was performed correctly... Thank You!
Who forced us to go to crappy schools in the first place? People like you, who make it law to go to school, thinking you know what's beat for people.
@@JohnSmith-nz2yq Are you having a stroke? Or are you just dumb?
Education Institute nowadays is a business
when i saw the title, i had no idea salt lamps were supposed to be anything other than aesthetic lamps, so I was like of course they work. They produce light and look nice.
Same hahah
For some reason I thought they were meant to remove moisture in the air? I don't know why I assumed that. I never knew anything about the ions until this video.
Ditto. I thought they were just supposed to be pretty.
Jep. I have one of those. Never knew it was supposed to do anything other than producing warm light.
@@curlzOdoom at least that makes sense
This video was a roller coaster. I wasn't a believer, then I was a believer, and now I'm not again.
@@KeiRad1anc3 like top commenter did, the guy with scientists and beers in his comment
I'm at 07:30 and I'm just like this is weird, and where is the real Derek?
@@KeiRad1anc3 It's almost like he's guiding us through the scientific process. :P
I was ready sending this to a friend who is a bit into those fancy fantasy toys. He knows their claims are bs but he also knows if he believe they work, he will have the desired affect. I don't know what to do now ,
I think the way the video is presented does a fantastic job of showing how impressionable we are. If a viewer paused at various points and walked away they would leave with a totally different viewpoint because we don't tend to continue with our own research, instead trusting the presenter to be honest (or at least not motivated by funding or advertisers).
I like how he quickly cuts to the chase and answers the title question before explaining instead of dragging it out.
I often wondered why the mystic shops always sell this type of lamp, I had no idea they were meant to generate negative ions. Very interesting video.
They don't
@@georgeblank2648 according to your materialist worldview
@@georgeblank2648 no obviously not. I just did’t know that was what people said they did.
@@wolfetteplays8894lol, if you are happy with imaginary ions you also don’t need the ugly lamp.
wouldnt it be better if they were designed to produce positive ions? i think we could all do with being a bit less negative. who wants to go into business with me?
this video just chilled out for two years and then one day the algorithm decided now is the time
I wish this would happen to any of my videos for once. Algorithm is unfair.
@@whanowa u just gotta make them a shitload of money
No. This video has been popular for years.
weird how this happens
For real, I thought this was a new Veritasium video from how much I was seeing it in my recommended. Was very surprised to see it was from 2019.
That's a proper scientist's answer: "we're certainly not able to detect any...."
"So this is kind of like an electronic nose or something for ions?" internally: "ugh..... if that HELPS you....🙄"
"That would be illogical, Captain."
"That would be illogical, Captain."
@@imdawolfman2698 I don't know that one, is that a Spock attribution?
@@ericulric223 yes, I grew up on Spock's logic and curiosity, his 'superpowers'. I often spill a drop of ale to Brother Roddenberry for the Utopian vision he created for us to aspire to.
Watching this video inspired me to buy indoor waterfalls. Would you mind making a follow up video with indoor waterfalls? Using those fancy machines to see indoor waterfalls create negative ions?
Fukkin genius. My dad did that in the backyard. I'll get some indoor ones thanks!!
I want one that you can fragrance
That's the first video I've seen that's already got the answer to the video's question in the thumbnail! Thank you for that, you're a legend!
Salesman: "Serotonin is, like, the primary transmitter in your whole body" Acetylcholine: 👀👀
Norepinephrine, epinephrine, and dopamine: 👀👀👀
Glutamate, GABA,...
yeahhh.. where my biochemists and fellow meds at!.... bring it onnnn
they are good salesmen. They aren't good when the talk to expert of field they are talking about. Or student.
Hahaha underrated comment.
the slow nod of a man with a secret stash of tourmaline lamps in his house
And resulting high amplitude alpha waves.
thats why hes so happy
We could be related if your family lives in or came from Minnesota.
I wonder if it will work with my black tourmaline from a nearby mine.
@@digidragon1.be better to make a laser.
i suffer from depression and was naturally gravitating toward the beach and outdoor living. after watching your production, i now understand my love of beaches and constant desire to go to the beach. i also have an aversion to artificial air. thank-you for your work.
Finer sand beach has more negative ions. You will get 20x more negative ions in your bathroom on average with warm shower running. Cold air conditioning will generate net/more positive ions.
it s so true that learning is not about facts but about stories that seems to bring things to an understanding within my brian . i love I can read and hear and watch all at the same time.
As someone who has been electrocuted before, negative ions definitely did NOT improve my mood that day
For me it does.
You have never been electrocuted
@@kk-iy4bw how would you know? I've been shocked a few times from outlets its only 120 volts not a big deal...
@@duncanweir8773 google the definition of electrocution
@@kk-iy4bw "injure or kill by electric shock"
Veritasium: the only channel that poses a question, answers it in the thumbnail, yet I still feel compelled to watch the 16 minute video
Adam Neely (A music channel) also does this, asks a question in the title, and promptly answers it in the thumbnail and honestly, Its refreshing to see that from educational channels
Yes, and sometimes there is as much (or more) knowledge in the process than the result. Your impulse is all good.
yeahhhhh lmao it's kinda like an impulse of "why though?" especially since i'm a person who doesn't just spontaneously agree with someone's statements
The light from my salt lamp is now the only thing I have left . . . but I feel mellow staring at it in a darkened room.
Ditto
I absolutely love scientists - like imagine working on one specific topic for 30 years and doings 100s of papers on it but you won’t claim to be an expert. They’re the best
Thank you!!! For taking your time and creating this!!
I have never believed that salt lamps have any benefit for the health, chemically speaking. However, I do believe that their warm, pinkish, orangish glow is good for mood. And they look very cool.
The package of the salt lamp I bought wrote, it has a calming effect. I like the soft, warm light. I like to think that these lamps do help to calm down. I set the lamp near my bird cage. I have canaries and they often wake up during the night or are awake for too long. Every time I turn on the lamp they sleep better.
Well if you believe it, it must be true.
@@lucrative6477 the placebo effect is very real and entirely based on belief
salt is the ingredient. People use salt inhalers to improve airways. People pay to travel to get therapy in salt caves. And if these are run for some time they do shed the salt around the lamp so I always put my salt lamp on a saucer or plate.
@@bonnenaturel6688 And salt create rocks in your organs that will be very painful if not deadly.
don't mind me, I'm just rewarding the anti-clickbait thumbnail.
It is pretty funny how the thumbnail answers the question. A good example of Betteridge's law of headlines.
yeah i thought that was awesome also!
It's kind of reverse psychology. If it didn't say "no" in the title, it would probably get less views because the subject isn't that interesting to many of us, even though we've all heard of these lamps. However, when you bring to mind that no, they don't work... well that's more interesting because I'm asking myself "why doesn't it work"? Which the video is destined to answer. So in conclusion, it's almost more clickbait than it otherwise would be. But there's nothing wrong with clickbait.
r/savedyouaclick
I'll help with that.
I remember when we bought ours. We were told all this stuff about it, but in the ended, it just puts out some awesome ambient lighting.
As a pilot, the part about ozone was the most interesting. Smelling ozone in an airplane usually means there is lightning nearby, along with static on the radios. We can also get St. Elmo's fire on the aircraft structure, so lots of ionization going on...but not very calming.
This was possibly the most polite way that I've ever seen someone debunk junk science
tbh it takes a lot of effort to debunk without hurting feelings, but it's a good way of doing it as the gullible person is less likely to dig their heels in and double down on their pseudoscience nonsense. Wish I had the patience to explain stuff as well as Derek.
I know I personally get rather upset when debating against snake lils, but I'm workin on it
honestly it wasn't debunked hard enough. i'd bet someone who already thought this effect to be real would come out of this video thinking "oh so the tests that weren't done didn't _yet_ show the real effects, they'll need to test it harder to prove i'm right"
@@SuprSi honestly i think dealing with failure and being wrong should be taught in schools, not at a psychologist when you're 35.
The Canadian way.
I love scientist. "so this means that there are no ions" "we certainly weren't able to detect any"
That's authentic scientific method thinking right there XD
It's because they didn't cover it in essential oils
@@OmnistrikeRZ probably forgot the chant as well. Should've also protected the nozzle with a thin sheet of silk to keep interfering dark forces out, those eat ions. Amateurs.
So, there are no ions.... Woohoo woohooo I didn't say that...
@@notjustforme8857 I think it was the 5G covering the air, oh and maybe those scientists were vaccinated meaning positive ions from demons..
Very cool, just another reason to love waterfalls! I never knew that they produced negative ions. Everything about them seems to make one feel better.
...except that as the video went on to explain, there's not a lot really much strong evidence of those negative ions being beneficial. But yes, waterfalls are wonderful and feel good to be around.
Hey, great video as always. If you would do one on "earthing" I think it would be interesting.
As someone actively doing research in neuroscience, it felt uneasy to hear the salesman confidently saying 'Serotonin is, like, the primary transmitter in your whole body'.
Serotonin is the powerhouse of the cell
I'm not even in college and that statement made me cringe
Serotonin is the transmitter house of the cell power.
My research has absolutely nothing to do with it, and that alarmed my sham detectors. I would've instantaneously noped out of there. Also the dude just claimed that all living things work like that. That's a *very* bold claim.
Yeah? Well you folks in Big Serotonin WOULD say that, wouldn’t you? Always trying to crowd out artisanal, small-batch serotonin artistes from the marketplace :-(
I like how the professors were not jumping to conclusions, they just spoke within the boundaries of the results they are seeing
Exactly the way it should be.
It’s almost like that’s what scientists do.
Being strict with conclusions is what makes good profs so boring when you're young but you gotta appreciate how responsible they with their language when you grow up
@@Segagens This is the way
I get a mental stiffy when researchers say "that we can measure" and not "that there are".
I love that I never know which direction this channel is going, but that it'll be interesting anyway
I learned this summer that they will pull significant amounts of water out of the air. This makes sense but I never thought about it until I witnessed it. By the end of this summer I was noticing puddles of water under my salt lamp on a regular basis. This is in a spot that would have no other way of getting wet and I don't use the lamp often.
My salt lamp works perfectly...It lights a hall at night so I don't trip over something and break my leg. Works perfectly at keeping my legs healthy. :-)
I thought it was just a neat lamp. I had no idea it was supposed to actually do something beyond lighting up my room. Not that it actually does.
@@shelfdefence1112 It probably does help destress due to the soft, warm, light that they emit.
@@shelfdefence1112 well it's a great source of salt and minerals. Very tasty and lasts a couple years.
@@youkyuu2402 tasty...?- what-
@@thesoupiestsoupster9019 lmao
I adore how when Derek asks "are you an ion expert" the answer isn't yes or no. It's "here is my level of experience in the field." which gives you a way better idea of why you should listen than just "yes i am"
True, but I think we can safely say that after working for _55 YEARS_ in the field, this man is indeed an expert.
@@nob2243 It’s widely accepted that 10.000 hours is the average time it takes to be considered an “Expert” in something.
@@weliveinasociety1154 That 10,000 = expert rule itself is, itself, bunk, of course.
@@Demmrir The idea is that someone who studies something for 3 hours a day for 10 years, will have an expert-level of knowledge in that subject. The word “expert” is quite subjective. I feel like an expert is someone who devotes their entire life to that thing. There’s not some magic number you have to achieve and all of a sudden you’re an “Expert”. It’s just an estimate.
I liked his response, too.
Well I don't know about you guys but I love my salt lamp. I have anxiety and depression and the cozy glow of the lamp brings warmth, comfort, and relaxation to me. 😌 And with that, I say it works for me.
No clickbait there, love this guy!
Salt lamps may have really poor “science” behind them, but they still look really neat.
But thats hardly the topic for discussion :p
I didn't even realize there were supposed to be ions coming off of salt lamps. I just bought mine so I could get some dim light in my room for nighttime. First thing I did was replace the warm incandescent bulb with an LED to save that little bit of energy 🤣
@@pineapplepizza27 lmao
Exactly, u don’t have to be into alternative medicine to appreciate a salt lamp, they’re just cool
I didn't even know that they were supposed to 'do' anything.
I love how the answer to "are you an ion expert?" was "I've been studying ions for...55 years, and have written hundreds of papers on all aspects of ions." He is not claiming to be an expert, he is just stating his experience.
Well, expert is relative, not a binary yes or no designation, so he lets the listener decide how expert he is.
@Sterf Google list all the phonemes then
Beware of those who call themselves to be "social scientists" or "social engineers," as they suffer from dyscalculia They are ultra-extreme leftists with multiple personality disorders. They can't reason or think logically.
Sterf Google I am half an expert on phonetics. For decades, I had severe speech impediments, because I had too great a difficulty in distinguishing sound-alike letters in my flawed hearing. Eventually, I bought books on phonetics like those on IPA letters, intonations, voice-training for actors & singers, elocution, etc. I meticulously studied all speech parts, their lip positions and tongue positions. I regularly keep a small notebook on pronunciations of obscure words and jot them down in IPA letters indicating certain sounds. Today, I speak fluently.
@@pinklady7184 People who have dyscalculia have problems with numbers and math. It has nothing to do with personality disorders.
Fantastic video, thank you so much Derek!
It's a great. So much information. Big thank you for the thorough research
“Are you an ion expert?” “I’ve been studying ions for 55 years.” I love it. He’s not saying he’s an expert, he’s giving you information and letting you decide.
that is how information works bru
And that man is so refreshing too. Very elegant face.
the next line MUST have been "do you have any ion lamp at home?"
Dunning-Kruger effect at work. Real experts are burdened with the knowledge of the vast expanse of questions that they don’t know the answers to.
"- So (...) it's producing no negative ions? - We're certainly not able to detect any negative ion." Also a real scientist's response =)
Derek: Do salt lamps work? Me: I thought it’s just a decorative nightlight. So yea, they do work by fulfilling their purpose of decoration.
Same, I don’t even know they were supposed to ‘do’ anything other than look cooler than a desk lamp.
it's a light you can season your food with
@@jockejarbinks3747 Wait...you're not supposed to periodically lick them?
it's a great diffuse light source.
Exactly the view I came in with and went out with 😂
They are great for a soft light, especially in a bedroom. Mine has a little glass bowl that you can put essential oils in, and it gets heated by the light bulb under it.
Thank you for your research!
The man had a golden opportunity to say “Ive been studying Ions for eons” next time i guess
thought exactly about the same line :-D
no one said un-ionically. :s
I hope his name was Ian, studying Ions for Eons.
I'll definitely keep an eye on him finally saying he's been studying ions for eons
So iconic
Kudos to the professor for not laughing the lamp out the door before testing it.
You have to give things the benefit of the doubt. Be sceptical all you want, but you need to allow things the opportunity. We cannot have science, if we do not test things.
Rather sure they scripted that and he was aware of what would happen.
That is science. You have to test it.
@@kolelokaram8541 Without the "but". Being skeptical includes being skeptical of the things you know, and basing your assertions on that which has more evidence. Be skeptical that negative ions AREN'T good for you, gather some evidence and conclude. You might discover something along the way
I also love how the professor spoke like a true scientist: Veritasium: "It's producing no negative ions" Dr. Dalleska: "We're certainly not able to detect any negative ions" There is always that very very small chance that it is indeed producing, but we're not able to detect it. So as a scientist you can't say with absolute certainty that it is not producing.
The last conclusion is awesome 😊👍🙏
Amazing how modest are the 2 researchers
Title: Do salt lamps work? Thumbnail: NO. Me: Understandable, have a nice day.
You: still clicked, watched, and commented
@@shawnphillips2556 he could have just left the comment and went away lol. watch-time is the most important thing on yt now.
@@realchoodle finally, somebody ;)
When you need a click baity title but you are a man on standard and wont allow pseudoscience to influence people who didnt click or watch through the video..
anti-clickbait. I love it. First time I saw it was by Adam Neely. It's great
I like to imagine that he doesn't talk to anyone behind the scenes and just walks up to experts with a camera without introducing himself.
I thought the opposite, those are his old professors from his Master's program. The comfort level is quite high. The way the one man said, "Hi Derek" I could hear 'what now?' resigned to his constant curiosity.
You. Lamp. Now
@@BariumCobaltNitrog3n oh no, the question guy again
@@agrainofsun yeah, with his super obscure quests
I would imagine some fees are exchanged "behind the scene". Using that ion detector for an hour would not come free.
Thanks covering that point @10:00Min Regarding the Tourmaline which is one of the stone mixed in Nuga Best Stone Tourmanium. With this Therapy we can feel the power of Negative Ions in High level..
I have one, I just think it’s pretty. I love the soft and warm light it gives. I’ve never bought into the ion thing.
Marie Curie was a very happy, alert, and highly charged individual.
oof
Oof
Too soon!... I guess? :P
Wait, I get it
Sadge
Notice how when Prof. Beauchamp was asked if he was an "expert," he only provided his credits and never said yes. That's the type of guy that I would trust over someone that upfront refers to themselves as an expert in anything.
The idea of being an "expert in ions" is ridiculous to begin with, its such a broad category, so yeah it'd definitely be concerning if someone claimed to be an "expert in ions"
I bet that guy in the store considers himself an expert on ions.
Scientists answer questions really carefully. Notice when Derek asked the professor, “does that mean the salt lamp doesn’t produce negative ions?”, and he answered, “we didn’t get to detect any.” 😂 many statements that normal people think equivalent could appear not directly but only conditionally so.
Oh, me? I'm a nutrition *expert*. I've read all the blog posts about it. /s
@@shihyuinchew8494 Exactly. You can tell he considered that question carefully before answering.
Thanks for slogging through all that research 😊
“Are you an ion expert” Doesn’t say yes but gives his list of qualifications that essentially says yes
I think he just didn't want to be known as an "Ion Expert." Maybe his research goes beyond that, anyway
you wouldnt call an electrician a bulb expert lol
there's no such thing as ion expert except for laymen and hippies maybe. so if i was asked about that i would be very, very embarrassed to say yes even if i was, in fact, an ion expert.
@Gernot Schrader "Are you an anion expert?" "No, but I'm a cook, so you could probably call me an _onion_ expert..." **ba-dum tsss**
@@MusangLaut2 my father in law and brother in law are both electricians. You can bet your ass i'm going to refer to them as bulb experts from now on
That salesman basically claimed the lightbulb inside the lamp was hot enough to sublime salt, but still safe to have turned on in close proximity to people.
Technically sumblimation is a matter of pressure not temperature. With high temperature the salt would melt not sublimate.
@@Rig0r_M0rtis sublimation is the phase transformation directly from solid to gas. It is a line on the pressure/temperature phase diagram of a material, so sublimation temperature will depend on the pressure. At some pressures there will be no sublimation because the liquid phase can exist. But as an example, CO2 has a sublimation point at ambient pressure, which is the reason why dry ice exists. But for NaCl at atmospheric pressure it will melt and then boil, so no sublimation.
@@wouterbaake7386 yeah, so? That's just what I said.
@@Rig0r_M0rtis Just clarifying that sublimation is not a matter of just pressure but a combination between temperature and pressure
As you said ... he’s a “salesman”.
thanks for putting the answer in the thumbnail, you are doing gods work
Can you do a similar show about other efficacy issues, like antioxidants?
I never had heard of the negative ion thing. I just love the way a soft glowing stone would look as a lamp.
Haha, me too 😂 If my mom knew that her salt lamps are said to have a positive effect on her, she’d probably throw them out. 😂
And that's fine! As a lamp, it's cute. People just shouldn't be going around claiming health benefits when there isn't any.
^^ A good reason to own a lamp.
It's a wonderful night light.
@@Supvia omg youre hilarious!
8:50 Veritasium: So your conclusion is (..) that it produces no negative ions? Scientist: We are certainly not able to detect any negative ions. That's a true scientist's answer!
I yelled same thing to the screen. On point answer. No strict conclusions can be drawn through single test with single method on a single sample. But detected evidence as the result of that test can be spoken for.
@@anilhaksever Well said my guy
Yes, I like this answer very much.
I was about to type this comment, and then I saw your comment at the same timestamp. Thank you.
It’s also a politician’s answer. :-D
Amazingly informative video. Thank you for preventing me from buying a salt lamp. I appreciate it.
Thanks for having saving the view and having the answer in the thumbnail, very convenient.
when I read that title I thought "of course they do, they produce light" wasn't even aware of the negative ion myths
All of the scientific papers I've read claiming that they produce light weren't verifiable later on. Often the sample sizes were small, and there's very little research indicating these lamps are even _capable_ of lighting a room. The perceived effects could very well be due to the placebo effect, or some other source of light. :)
I thought they were for attracting animals, they're fun to lick
@@alakani wtf
@@RyanTosh if this is humor its very bad humor
@@angwydud Humor's subjective, 18 people would disagree :p
This video is just one example of how much information and explanation it takes to disprove a statement someone makes in less than 2 seconds. This is why things like "alternative facts" persist: no one has the patience to actually learn things.
Thinking is hard I guess. :/
This is so true and I wish more people would realize it
I feel like most people don’t know what Alternative facts are. That was just someone saying that “my research contradicts yours” in a very poorly worded way.
Its worse than that though. Its not just about disproving things that aren't true, but its also that its really difficult to go through "peer reviewed literature." Honestly, unless you are at least working on a graduate degree, its probably a waste of time to mess with the incredibly tiny details of peer reviewed research. I know there are problems with news journalists, but generally the best source of looking critically at a claim is simply asking "what is the mechanism by which this assertion works." Quickly you get the explanation about some production of serotonin and then you consider how few negative ions you breathe in relative to all the atoms you breathe in and you quickly see how ridiculous the claim is. You don't need to mess about with research and studies, just use common sense. That's going to get the lay person way further than mucking through details that ought to be left to people who have nothing else better to do.
What about 5G cell towers? check that out
i have one in my room just cause i like the glow it produces. very chill
Like others have said, I had no idea salt lamps were meant to be a woo generator. I have also never had a salt lamp that didn't act as a dehumidifier and leak everywhere/rust to bits (underneath) so after the second one went bad I've never gotten another one. I know that ionisation is not woo. I am referring to the practice of attributing shaky science to something intended to increase one's wellbeing. Here's looking at you Body Mind Spirit expo!
I absolutely love how scientists maintain plausible deniability at all time. - "are you an expert in ions?" - "I've been studying ions for 55 years" - "so it's not emitting ions?" - "we certainly cannot detect any ions"
@@lukenajeeb8255 Basically the scientist is saying there might or might not be ions, the method proven to detect ions has not detected ions. With the expert comment he didn't say he's an expert, he's only studied them for 55 years, written papers about the aspects of ions. He doesn't throw bold claims, merely expel the data he has.
That's not plausible deniability. That is the fact he has shown.
i was thinking the same thing
That's what science is, baby. You never say "we know", you say "by our methods, we think that.."
How can you possibly mistake stating the facts for plausible deniability? Did you discover the concept one month ago and decided to throw it at anything even remotely similar?
The first time in KZhead history a thumbnail answered a question instead of adding another question that potentially would never be answered.
He's changed the game lol
Yep that's the only reason I'm watching this, the basic answer has been given now I'll find out the details.
Adam Neely has used this approach for several years
How dare you.🤭🤣
And it worked! Like a clickbait question in reverse, I wanted to see how a video with a one-word answer in the thumbnail could possible be 16min long
I'm so glad you put a logical and scientific explanation to this craze that gets so misused by certain people.. no offense. The things are still awesome, I collect rocks so I appreciate minerals, crystals but I don't think they heal me in anyway other than the benefit I get mentally and physically by going out and gathering them in Nature, exercising as I collect and gather rocks and hike my dogs. That alone. That experience, the act of exploring, hunting, finding. Is so beneficial to my soul and mind. Then just being out in the woods here in Oregon and exploring the woods is the best type of therapeutic experience for me. It's like active meditation because even tho I am not sitting in one place - I am in a state of hyper awareness and I get in tune with my observation skills more and more each time I go exploring in the woods. There is just something magical about going on a walk in the wilderness by yourself and with your dog. Or, just by yourself if you don't have any dogs. The experience of hiking alone innately teaches you a lot, even if it's subconsciously. Nature is a amazing teacher, and you can learn how to be more connected to yourself, just by practicing going on solo hikes in the woods. (The one thing I am facinated about, is the effects scientist's have found Magnetic field waves are showing medicinal benefits and I'm curious to see where that field of science is going to go and evolve to...? 🧲🧠👍🏻)
I bought a salt lamp (in Australia). Perhaps due to high humidity - it slowly evaporated away unevenly! So it definitely reacted in some way! And moisture developed below the lamp. I simply had to throw it away. But I love the light and look of them. I'll just put a timer on new one and don't use in humid season.
4:25 "are you an ion expert?" "I've been studying ions for" was expecting him to say Eons.
I'm not alone.
I was expecting an "ion man" joke. ;) (Not really...)
Same
Yo
@@notthere83 ION MAN came to mind.
They do work. I’ve eaten about 15 of them by now and I feel great! A little dehydrated and I now have high blood pressure but that’s easily fixable, I’m sure.
This comment deserves more comments. 😂❤
Drink some water and go for a run... you'll be fine. 😂🏃♂️
pls remove the bulb before eating it 😰
@@JonLake the bulb gives it a nice, moist, tangy taste
@@ms.fukawa-hanamura3754 mmmmm light bulb💡
I’ve owned one of these light for years. I’ve never heard of these claims of ions before now, I just think it looks nice
My daughter suffered a statis migraine for over 2 years and was unable to attend her last year & a half of highschool … doctors tried every treatment to give my daughter some relief … no help at all after several stays in hospital as well … then her neurologist suggested that if possible… going to a college/ university on the coast might help because of the much higher levels of negative ions she could experience … she was accepted with a full-ride scholarship to Pepperdine University on the California coast in Malibu… she was oh so much better that she was able to graduate 1st in her class as a Music major and then was able to attend the New England Conservatory of Music (on the Atlantic coast) with a scholarship to pursue her Masters degree in music … she still will get migraines but much less severe … YES !!! Negative ions DO HELP !!!
Best scientific wording: - So, your conclusion after testing this device is that's producing no negative ion? - We're certainly not able to detect any negative ions.
So true, his statement is clearly correct. He can't know for sure if there are coming ions from the device.
This was my favorite part of the video!
I love how it's such a scientific way of thinking. We don't see one test and say it's 100%. We test our hypothesis over and over again before we even call it a "theory"
Thats not scientific, its PleaseDontSueMeology
@@iwantitpaintedblack Not true, there are multiple reasons why a mass spectrometer may not detect ions. I myself have injected ions into a mass spectrometer and not seen any meaningful signal.
Salt lamps absolutely work! I received one for Christmas and it definitely emits light. Not only that, but the lampshade that surrounds it prevents any chance that the naked bulb will be visible to me.
Now that's some good lamp
YOUR SPECIAL !!
Marry Me!
@@TheMainphrame NO !! IM NOT GAY !!
@@whitekaren7742 Yeah hes not gay he only sleeps with men for fun not love! get it right!
"Are you an expert?" "I have been studying ions for 55 years." We need this level of humbleness and accuracy from our politicians.
The conclusion is the greatest...
Also I love science for its honesty. Notice he didn’t confirm there were no ions, he merely confirmed he could not detect any ions. Excellent
But unless his equipment was broken or improperly used, he could have just said there weren’t any.
@@Sashazur that would not be scientifically honest.
@@Sashazur That implies every piece of technology is perfect and can detect everything.
The guy in the salt lamp store "You didn't do it right, gotta wait 10 years for the effects to take place!" lol
@@Sashazur You know no machines nor humans are perfect right?
I didn’t even know that’s what they were meant to do, I just thought they were supposed to look cool
you were right the first time sadly a myth has got caught up and become a fact to some less educated. defo just to look good
I have a salt lamp in my room, It's really pretty! but I never thought it would "purify" the air or something
i literally thought it was too look cool and it was just a lamp with a plastic cover
I thought it sucked some of the moisture out of the air. Not nearly as much as a dehumidifier would of course but maybe the equivalent of putting a few silica packets in a shoe box or something. Salt being drying and such. Guess others didn't have that thought
they do something else if you turn them off and on over and over in a hot and cool cycle (like how you'd use a lamp as a lamp) it's not exactly a good thing btw when the lamp turns off: the cool salt absorbs water from in the air (because it's a desiccant) that water from in the air typically also has really tiny dust particles in it as the water hits and soaks into the salt, that dust is depposited onto the salt when the lamp turns on: the heat dries out the water, forcing it out of the salt that deposited dust remains on the lamp IT LITERALLY MAKES ITSELF DIRTY JUST BY BEING USED AS A LAMP
I have a salt lamp, and it works exactly as I hoped it would: It's pretty and the warm color it puts out makes my bedroom feel cozy.
What a great channel just discovered yesterday
Professor Beauchamp missed a perfect opportunity to say that he’s been studying ions for eons.
He missed the perfect opportunity to say he's been keeping an ion them for the last 55 years!
@@Rachel-fi4sc I like yours better
@@mrwassef I wish it was original XD I can't take credit; I lifted it from another comment.
He would probably think that 55 years isn't long enough to be called an eon. ;-)
Dang it! A two-year old video and I missed the opportunity of posting that comment by two weeks!