What is Darkness? Is it just an illusion or real thing?

Is darkness something real or just an illusion?

Is darkness a reality or just an eyewash?

let's start with some philosophical approaches.

If in a room we have a person who can see and a person who cannot and there is a burning lamp or a bulb or any light source, we ask them whether the room is bright or dark. In the opinion of the man with the ability to see, the room is bright, but in the opinion of the blind person, the room is dark. So, the question one may ask is who is right and who is wrong. Let's vote. In this world, since blind people are just a fraction of the total population of the whole world, democracy wins and we are more likely to agree that the room is bright because a majority of people can see.

Let's do it again. The same room but without any burning lamps or bulbs or any light source. And this time we are not taking blind people but normal people and some animals, like an owl, a cat, a snake, etc. This time when we ask the person, the room is dark, but let's ask those animals. Is that room actually dark, the owl can still see through that so-called darkness? That cat can see too. The snake can see too and these animals can find their prey easily. So, this time who is wrong and who is right? Let's vote again. On the one hand, there is this human race and on the other hand, there are all species of animals and insects and other things. So, we have the probability that humans are wrong.

It was a bit of a philosophical approach that guides us to the fact that darkness is the inability of human eyes.

Now, let's take into account the scientific approach.

James Clerk Maxwell derived some very famous formulas known as Maxwell's equations, which show that light is electromagnetic waves. Just like light, heat is also an electromagnetic wave with different wavelengths. Based on these wavelengths, we have divided these waves into the following categories;

1. Radio Waves

2۔ Micro Waves

3۔ Infrared

4۔ Visible Region

5۔ Ultraviolet

6۔ X-rays

7۔ Gamma Rays

8۔ Cosmic Waves

The human eye can only see a very small region we call the "visible region'. This visible region only ranges between 400 nm and some 800 nm. These waves originate from bulbs, mobile and television screens, and many other objects. And the interesting thing is that these objects not only glow in the visible regions but also in the infrared region, as you have just read that heat is also an electromagnetic wave. All these bodies radiate some heat energy which belongs to the infrared region based on the amount of energy. So, if we were able to see in this infrared region, we would see even at night that everything in our surroundings would be radiating some heat signature. It means there will be no dark at any time, anywhere.


And the story does not end here. We have radio waves all the time around us. Every time we use a microwave oven, we would see lights coming out of it. And similarly to all other wave regions.

So, if our eyes were able to see these waves, we would never need bulbs, lanterns, or lamps, but then we would not be able to sleep in the bright darkness of the night.

There would also be no problem with applying cream, being black, or white, because we would be radiating different lights based on our body temperature.

Finally, we can say that the darkness is nothing but the inability of one's eyes to see.