Neon

True neon is like something out of a comic book – the intensely-hued lights are made of “noble gases” with intergalactic sounding names like Krypton and Argon. Each is found in abundance out there in space, but the little bit we have here on Earth is put to use, illuminating tubed fluorescents in motel vacancy signs and 24-hour chapels. It’s all very Superman-meets-David Bowie. We’re into it.

So, here’s to neon – its out-of-this-world origins, its worldly uses, and the luminescent colors it inspires.