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The death rays that guard life: We can use ultraviolet light to disinfect public spaces

2026-04-09 · 23:00 UTC ·Works in Progress ·0 min read

Brief

Works in Progress presents a narrated essay (published 2026-04-09) arguing that germicidal ultraviolet — from traditional 254 nm upper‑room fixtures to newer far‑UVC lamps (~222 nm) and LEDs — can dramatically cut airborne infections. The short presentation links the familiar success of water disinfection to the case for engineered UV interventions in schools, transit, and healthcare, while noting safety and implementation challenges.

Why it matters

Germicidal ultraviolet (UV) — especially UV-C approaches like 254 nm upper-room fixtures and emerging far‑UVC (≈222 nm) technology — can inactivate airborne pathogens and has the potential to make airborne disease transmission as rare as waterborne disease.

Key details

  • The video (Works in Progress; published 2026-04-09; words by Gavriel Kleinwaks & Karam Elabd, read by Stuart Ritchie) compares routine water disinfection to applying UV in public indoor spaces, highlighting existing deployments (hospitals, upper‑room UV) and the safety/engineering considerations for wider adoption.
Source evidence

We disinfect water before we drink it. Germicidal ultraviolet could make airborne disease as rare as those carried by water. You can see the images, graphs and read the article at https://worksinprogress.co/issue/the-death-rays-that-guard-life/

And you can find the rest of Works in Progress at worksinprogress.co

Words by Gavriel Kleinwaks & Karam Elabd
Read by Stuart Ritchie
Music by David Hackett

Channel: Works in Progress
Published: 2026-04-09
Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7siHHW8bT3c