# You \*can\* revive Glowsticks and extend their lives to some degree

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288>\
**Category:** Cecil's Columns/Staff Reports\
**Created:** [September 25, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288 "2005-09-25T02:22:10Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288/1 "2005-09-25T02:22:10Z")

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Just an FYI

Putting them in the freezer before they are depleted will stop (or very much slow down) the degrading of their glow properies once activated. It also tends to “kick” them back up a little bit.

* * *

Link to column: [Why can’t I revive the “glow light” I bought at a concert?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_397c.html) – CKDH

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**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288/2 "2005-09-25T02:25:03Z")

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> [@astro](#):
>
> Just an FYI
> 
> Putting them in the freezer before they are depleted will stop (or very much slow down) the degrading of their glow properies once activated. It also tends to “kick” them back up a little bit.

The longest I ever left them in the fridge was about week so I don’t know if they will stay “in stasis” (when frozen) longer than this. When re-warmed they pick up from where they left off.

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**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288/3 "2005-09-25T03:10:29Z")

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Also, once their dead, a few second in the microwave will revive them for a few minutes.

KIDS: DO NOT try this at home. Your glowstick could asplode.

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**Author:** ![flex727](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/258eb7/32.png) [@flex727](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flex727)\
**Post date:** [September 25, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288/4 "2005-09-25T15:30:14Z")

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> [@Electronic Chaos](#):
>
> Also, once their dead, a few second in the microwave will revive them for a few minutes.
> 
> KIDS: DO NOT try this at home. Your glowstick could asplode.

Asploding Glowsticks.

Band name!

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**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288/5 "2005-09-26T01:49:51Z")

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**astro** , and anyone else reading, please: when you start a thread, please provide a link to the column you’re commenting on. Helps keep us on the same page, and saves searching time. Yeah, it’s on the front page at the moment, but will soon vanish into the bowels of the Archives and be harder to find.

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![Spectator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/47e85d/32.png) [@Spectator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectator)\
**Post date:** [September 26, 2005, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-can-revive-glowsticks-and-extend-their-lives-to-some-degree/323288/6 "2005-09-26T13:20:40Z")

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> [@astro](#):
>
> Just an FYI
> 
> Putting them in the freezer before they are depleted will stop (or very much slow down) the degrading of their glow properies once activated. It also tends to “kick” them back up a little bit.
> 
> * * *
> 
> Link to column: [Why can’t I revive the “glow light” I bought at a concert?](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a2_397c.html) – CKDH

Of course, over here in Europe we can use Tritium light sticks, with a 20 year lifetime. I understand that they are banned in America in case someone wants to use them to make a nuclear bomb.!