Star Trek Tricorders detected lifeforms--> Life emits light

[jedishrfu]

A recent article in Phys.org claims that researchers at the University of Calgary have discovered that life emits low levels of light in the 200-1000 nm wavelength:

https://phys.org/news/2025-05-emit-faint-extinguishes-death.html

That means that someday a tricorder from Star Trek will be able to detect lifeforms.

(Insert applause here)

 

[jedishrfu]

As an aside, there is a company called The Wand company that has released its first batch of tricorder props with impressive features:

- all 233 Captain's logs are recorded for playback in the device
- information about the solar system
- screens to imitate various Star Trek screens from TOS
- ability to measure various environmental parameters

Sensing: Functioning orientation compass, Atmospheric measurement of ambient temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure, electromagnetic radiation proximity sensing, audio level sensing and display, device core temperature measurement, hood open and closed sensing, upper door open and closed sensing, individual disc present sensing, primary disc function sensor.

https://www.thewandcompany.com/tricorder/

There is no word on when they will incorporate the life-forms detection feature, possibly in two hundred years or so. Unfortunately, no medical features are currently available either.