In truth, Naveen asked:

"Is it possible to create a pollution free light without electric power and without burning something."

So the fire idea is out, for two reasons: it pollutes and it burns.

The not-so-original answer might be what's generally referred to as "energy harvesting," but then it might still violate the premise, if that harvested energy is used to generate electricity. Still, in principle, not much pollution there.

So a better answer is phosphorescence, where the material absorbs light when there's ambient light around it (during the day), and then slowly releases that light when the environment goes dark.

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/spin/node17.html

Bioluminscence might be another possibility, except that technically, it does pollute. After all, these organisms emit CO2, and to create lots of light, lots of CO2.

We need a material that has properties similar to phosphorescence, but that does not depend on strictly storing light. Something that can use other forms of energy and convert it to E = hv photons (that's nu, not vee). For instance:

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HOMEEXPTS/Chemilum.html

Chemiluminescence.

Luminescence is the first thing that comes to mind.  Not sure what area it could light up, but perhaps a large enough terrarium with luminescent fungi? 

Recently the BBC published a matter, which shows how to produce energy from potatoes http://tinyurl.com/ka59xz6 ou http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20131112-potato-power-to-light-the-world

Biogas plant from human/animal (manure) wast, are very successful in India and many other countries, also gives good natural fertilizer as byproduct government are giving good subside , to encourage it. Could have, not only light, but could have cooking gas, gas for heating even could drive small appliances. All village should start this project on cooperative bases, and could utilized, the common laterine facility for villagers. Plant works successes fully( only needed to replace complete material after three to four years), from 1962 till today, at my home town, near Navsari, India.......Even good biogas energy can be produced, by rotten potatoes, by this method . In iglu(eskimo house) seal fish fat, is used for light in north and south pole at nocost.

@ William Costa Rodrigues......

Its a nice one sir....

It's basically a question of conservation of energy.  In order to have a significant source of light, you need to put energy into the light generator.  You can quantify the energy needed as the light output divided by the efficiency of conversion from some other energy form.

The real problem might be to ask why the light is needed in the first place.  The human eye is very sensitive once dark adaption has occurred.  This takes about a half hour in darkness.   Any artificial light spoils the dark adaption for quite a few minutes and full adaption doesn't return for about a half-hour.   This a continuous source of light you suggest would be counter productive as soon as the light source is no longer available, as when one ventures out of the hut at night.   Red light doesn't seem to have this effect as severely.  For this reason, red light is used where there is a need not to interfere with dark adaption.  In the environment you outline, a red light might be a good idea.

There are sources of non-electrical light all around - it's called bioluminescence.  Simply put, it's the firefly reaction - luciferin/luciferase.   It's all over the place in the oceans.  Unfortunately, in artificial form it tends to be expensive and short lived.   There are commercially available light sticks, but they only last a few hours and then have to be completely replaced.  It tends to be in the yellow/blue/green region of the spectrum.

The LED light is now approaching an efficiency that makes it a reasonable candidate for your needs.   There are commercial lights that charge a small battery in the daytime and than light a small LED lamp at night.  These are readily available in the US and are used as lights to illuminate walkways.   The cost in the US is not great, but could be prohibitive to a person in a developing country.  The solar charged LED is probably the best bet.

Chemoluminescence and Triboluminescence are examples for generation of light without electrical energy.

Chemoluminescence happens with organic materials e.g. fowling meat or in bugs (in German "Leuchtkäfer").

Triboluminescence happens when rubbing cristalline materials e.g. rubbing 2 pieces of sugar or when opening a self-glueing envelope.

Dear Vasile,

Thanks for sharing. Its already known for me, also it is a way of lighting  house during the day without relying on electricity. I am more interested in lightening after sun set.

Regards

Dear Vasile,

I have also done that fireflies game as a kid :) thanks for reminding.....

You are right that the answer will be there in nature...I really wish that i would see a solution (by someone somewhere) in this life itself where power requirement for household purpose and especially for lightening will not be an issue....

The research in the field of power is industry based only....because revenue/business comes from there....so most probably such solution will be based on some very innovative idea/invention by some independent researcher (like Edison)...

There is also a possibility that the solution comes something like power from living being or human being....I feel that will be the worst thing....It will be the most horrible discovery....Human Greed for power sources will lead the world in direction of "The Matrix (the movie)".

But whatever comes I wish to see it in this life...An alternative new source of power/light...

Thanks for sharing...its new for me....

I will also google it....can you share the documentation available with you

Dear Vasile,

I tried to find more about this concept on net. I got this paper, which tells this is fake....you can also have a look...

I will go through these....thanks for sharing.

Dear Vasile.....

thank you very much for sharing the information...I really appreciate it...

I even could not go through properly with your previous shares....really sorry for that...

Please keep sharing.... so that others who are reading the thread will also get benefited....

with regards

-Naveen

"…innovative…no power only light…. Just for the sake of discussion…"

The intercontinental specially designed a large system (or net) of fiber optic cables can constantly transfer the sunlight from illuminated to the dark side of the Earth.

Dear Vasile Surducan,

First of all thank you very much for sharing so much information on this thread.

I tried to read some more on gravity light (http://gravitylight.org/how-it-works/ ). Basically they are using the potential energy stored in lifted weight for lightening, theoretically correct but I am not in position to comment on the numbers. In the given link they are telling that a 12 kg weight drops at a rate of approximately 1 mm / second and hence they can produce 1/10th of the watt, which is used in producing light. Looks impressive…

Regards

@ Prof. Samvel Ter-Antonyan

Dear sir...thanks for sharing your views.......

Although your started your reply with "…innovative…no power only light…. Just for the sake of discussion…" I asked the question in same mode actually :-)......

but I really liked your idea....50% of earth is always having light accessibility...so a continuous light source is there....we only have to divert the light to the required place....You have even proposed the means of doing so (optical cables)....I personally feel it will be possible one day, when we will have such mesh across the globe...could become a revolutionary idea....

Regards

Naveen

@ Dr Peter Jakubowski

Dear sir…..Thank you very much for sharing your views….

What I got from your reply is (please correct me if I am wrong)…..certain amount of energy (may be very small) can be transferred to any place without any electrical connection….but how much portion of it will be converted to light is the question…absolutely no problem in that sir….But in my opinion: with available technology and knowledge across the globe I don’t feel light produced will be enough (please excuse me if I am not updated)…..

Whole idea across the world to produce light is----first produce electrical power ---- transfer it to required place---get light from electrical power….

but today Prof Samvel gave idea of transferring the light itself from sun exposed  earth to dark earth…feasible or not don’t know…but exciting

Regards

@Naveen ; "Is it possible to have light without electrical power?" 

Yes, of course! Here is how you do it: fix a piece of dry wood in place, have another piece of wood hold by both hands, and move it fast back and forth over the fixed piece by having them  tightly  pressed against each other. After a little exercising you'll get a flame and light! (at least that is what I read in my books when I was a kid:-) Being lazy, I've never tried it by myself, but then what one wouldn't do for the sake of humankind!!!:-)

@ Alexander E Kaplan......Nice one sir :-).....Your solution reminded me this very old story....

https://parthdu.wordpress.com/humor/niels-bohr-barometer-question/

Hope you will also enjoy it

- Naveen

@Vasile: Nah... it was simply because If you think big enough, you'll never have to do it..:-)

As to a fake universe, well, here is another/better thought: Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one. ( Albert Einstein )

For many other great philosophical ideas, see

http://psi.ece.jhu.edu/~kaplan/off-the-wall.html

Hi Alexander.

I tried it and it works, but it's hard work. :-))

Josef

Joseph, I hope you didn't start a big fire:-); actually you are the first person whom I ever heard has done that. At some point I checked out on the idea by using a hand drill with a wooden dowel instead of  drill bit, but I guess it was cheating:-). I am wandering what wood have you used -- was it dry pine, red oak, or anything else? Having woodworking as my hobby (carpenter  used to be my second profession after  they threw me out from my lab following my little protest against using tanks as tourist vehicles  in 1968:-), my bet would be very dry red oak, but then you must be an expert by now...

http://psi.ece.jhu.edu/~kaplan/

In truth, Naveen asked:

"Is it possible to create a pollution free light without electric power and without burning something."

So the fire idea is out, for two reasons: it pollutes and it burns.

The not-so-original answer might be what's generally referred to as "energy harvesting," but then it might still violate the premise, if that harvested energy is used to generate electricity. Still, in principle, not much pollution there.

So a better answer is phosphorescence, where the material absorbs light when there's ambient light around it (during the day), and then slowly releases that light when the environment goes dark.

http://math.ucr.edu/home/baez/spin/node17.html

Bioluminscence might be another possibility, except that technically, it does pollute. After all, these organisms emit CO2, and to create lots of light, lots of CO2.

We need a material that has properties similar to phosphorescence, but that does not depend on strictly storing light. Something that can use other forms of energy and convert it to E = hv photons (that's nu, not vee). For instance:

http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/HOMEEXPTS/Chemilum.html

Chemiluminescence.

Hi Alexander,

I used a primitive bow. And as a base the gate (spruce) of our village house (ca. in 1958 in Dolní Věstonice - settlement of mammoth hunters). Dowel also spruce. Gate was all black dot - to the delight of of parents. So I verified that friction produces heat - and a little slap. :-))

And as you can see, I remember it still. Not above experiment.

Josef

Hi Vasile, the picture is very nice. It's worth seeing. In return, look at a triode about of the year 1917th. Beautiful, is not it? This, however, shone with electricity. :-)

Josef

PS

It is product S&H.

Vasil yes, very interesting.