how to turn a pencil into a light

[djn]

This is pretty cool. Cheers.

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/726251/turn_a_pencil_into_a_light/

[Ian McColgin]

I couldn't get this up but maybe it's like a carbon arc.

We used to make them by putting some lights in series for whatever power draw we wanted, then wire to one end of a pencil "lead" (really carbon) and then ground to the return just like a mini arc welder.

The very thing for science crazed fourteen year olds.