"When this light comes into contact with the quinine molecules, however, they take it in and then reemit that light in a slightly longer wavelength, which is now visible to us."
"The mystical fluorescent ingredient quinine is actually derived from the bark of the cinchona tree, which is found in the Andes mountains in South America."
"Indigenous healers of the area had discovered that this bark could be used as a medicine. As it turns out, the quinine in the bark serves to stop the reproduction of the blood-borne parasite that causes the disease."
Gin and tonic is a common cocktail that glows bright blue under black light due to quinine in tonic water. Quinine, derived from the cinchona tree bark, has a long history as a medicinal ingredient used to treat malaria. When exposed to ultraviolet light, quinine absorbs the light and reemits it at a visible wavelength, creating the glowing effect. This phenomenon is unique to tonic water, as other gin cocktails do not exhibit the same response under black light.
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