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Discover the Colorful World: Top 9 Fascinating Fun Facts about Ink You Never Knew!

illustration of ink
Dive into the vibrant world of ink and discover the surprising, quirky, and downright amusing facts hidden beneath the surface!

1. Cephalopods: Ocean's DIY Artists

In a twist of fate that would make Ariel do a double take, it appears our eight-legged friends under the sea have been providing DIY art supplies for their self-defense for ages: Cephalopods, including octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish, possess unique ink sacs containing chemicals like melanin, which they use to create an intriguing cloud of ink as a defense mechanism. Some species, such as the fire-shooter squid and blue-ringed octopus, even incorporate toxic chemicals into their ink masterpieces, ensuring predators are deterred in a most artistic manner.
Source => theguardian.com

2. Ancient Chinese Soot-Ball Champions

Before the invention of ink, the ancient Chinese played "soot-ball" with pine trees, discarding the losers as writing materials: Truth be told, the traditional Chinese method of making ink favored pine soot for its small, uniform particles and was often combined with animal, vegetable, and mineral oils, but never mashed veggies!
Source => apohaven.weebly.com

3. Roman Snail Slime Fashionistas

Before "snail mail" was even a thing, ancient Romans were getting their sass on with a touch of slimy chic: Tyrian purple, a natural dye extracted from the mucus of sea snails, was a precious commodity reserved for the upper echelons of Roman society, including magistrates and emperors. The time-consuming process, requiring twelve thousand Murex snails for a single garment trim, made it so exclusive it was even regulated by sumptuary laws—by the fourth century AD, exclusively donned by the Roman Emperor. Talk about being fashionably late to the snail party!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

4. Fluorescent Pigments: The Rave Scene's Secret Agents

Behold the rave scene's best-kept secret, the life of the party, the glowiest among the glowing: fluorescent pigments and dyes! These ravetastic rainbow makers, like the most stylish of partygoers, absorb light energy at one wavelength and spit it out at another, longer one in a fabulous display of colors. But the party doesn't stop there: these attention-grabbing substances, besides spicing up billboards, road safety signs, and protective clothing, also moonlight in international espionage as invisible pigments that only glow when under UV light - perfect for anti-counterfeiting measures and document security.
Source => angtech.com

Iridium: The Smooth Criminal of Calligraphy

5. Iridium: The Smooth Criminal of Calligraphy

In a world where calligraphers are seen as real-life superheroes and pens as their trusty sidekicks, one unassuming nib component stands out, stealing the limelight with its incredible smooth criminal moves – the element of surprise: Iridium, a corrosion-resistant metal discovered by Smithson Tennant in 1803, tipped fountain pen nibs and revolutionized the pen industry, bringing forth the golden age of fountain pens with a plethora of companies emerging to satiate our thirst for these metallic marvels.
Source => blog.pens-etc.co.uk

6. Montblanc Ink: The Slippery Accomplice

When Montblanc ink isn't moonlighting as a slippery accomplice in the great Fountain Pen Heist: this elusive agent actually contains a lubricant designed to ensure the smooth operation of the piston mechanism in Montblanc fountain pens, guaranteeing an even and satisfying flow for your literary masterpieces.
Source => edjelley.com

7. Sharpie PRO: The Muscle of Marker World

While most markers are content lounging on desks and doodling on scrap paper, the illustrious Sharpie PRO Chisel Tip Permanent Marker has been pumping some serious iron, flexing its industrial might, and gearing up for the big league job sites: These ultra-tough, anti-roll shaped markers are perfect for professionals and boast vibrant, brilliant colors that can mark on paper, plastic, metal, and most other surfaces with eye-catching precision, making them both incredibly durable and exceedingly versatile in their colorful conquests!
Source => fivestarofficesupply.com

8. Foiling Casino Counterfeiters with High-Tech Chips

In a high stakes game of "chip and dale," cunning counterfeiters try their luck at outsmarting casinos with their crafty paintbrushes and devilish designs: However, their plans are often thwarted due to the intricate security features of casino chips, such as UV markings, color-shifting ink, and RFID tags, making them difficult to duplicate and increasing the risk of getting caught, resulting in hefty fines and prison time.
Source => casino.org

9. Chameleon Markers: The Ultimate Blending Beasts

Behold, the magical blending beasts of the ink world, the artful chameleons: Chameleon Color Tones Markers possess a unique blending chamber filled with colorless solution, enabling seamless transitions, shading, and gradations between hues using just one mighty pen!
Source => markersupply.com

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