The colour black is not pleasing to everyone’s sight and senses. Most species of our kind shun black as a hue of negativity, the harbinger of bad luck and a symbolism of evil omens and grief. According to physics, black is a perfect absorber of light as well as a best emitter. In spite of being associated with pessimistic qualities, black is also used to represent ‘classy’ emotions such as power, elegance, sophistication, status and formality. No doubt, black, nowadays strongly evokes its positive vibes with the trendy dresses of the colour taking street fashion, corporate fashion, wedding fashion….as a whole, the fashion world by storm.
However in the ever-dynamic, erudite and vast planet known as Earth, there are some ‘black’ living and non-living objects that really teaches us not to be taken away with looks and appearances-
Charcoal
Charcoal has become one of the most frequent ingredients in a wide range of cosmetics today. The dark black compound that is formed by heating wood in a low oxygen environment can work wonders for the skin. A deep cleanser that removes dirt and impurities from the pores of your skin, charcoal is also a utilitarian tonic for those of you with oily skin as it can control oil secretion in your skin thereby making it less prone to the irritating pimples and blackheads. Do grab skincare and haircare products comprising of charcoal to start your day in a positive and afresh mood and be the one who turns the colour of sadness into a colour of freshness. Apart from being a beauty tonic, charcoal is extensively used for the production of fireworks and as a form of industrial fuel.
Black mud
Black mud from the Dead Sea is available both online and offline as a beauty product. Although it is expensive, it is loaded with immense properties to give a boost to the human skin. The black mud from the Dead Sea was formed after sediments were deposited in the sea bed from thousands of years ago. These sediments accumulated with salt deposits over the years have become such that it possess excellent accompaniments for beautifying your skin. The beneficial properties of the black mud of the Dead Sea were first acknowledged by Queen of Sheba. Later, Cleopatra and many other noble figures in history used black mud of the Dead Sea as part of their beauty routines. The mud, which is infused with minerals are known to remove dead skin cells and regenerate new ones, act as a skin cleanser, relieves pain and is useful for treating acne. Just imagine guys, mud, considered a thing of dirt and that too sourced from a place in Jordan (Dead Sea) and which sounds frightful and forbidding actually functions as an elixir for youthful and healthy skin. Make sure to grab a bottle of this goodness now easily available online.
Cuckoo
Cuckoo – the black bird which looks ugly in appearance but possess such a melodious voice that can put even famous singers to shame. ‘The Messenger of Spring’, as so called rightly by poet John Logan in his poem ‘To The Cuckoo’, brings deep joy to every soul with its mesmerizing notes devoid of sorrow. ‘The Wandering voice’ of the cuckoo that brings to mind a delightful vision filled with brightness and cheerfulness, however, comes from a place that is hard to find. Cuckoo renders its vocal magic mostly from a place that is high above the trees. Cuckoo which uses its cunningness to lay its eggs in the nests of other birds, uses its same talent to add an appeal of mystery in its sweet voice too. Eminent poet William Wordsworth had fittingly called cuckoo, as ‘No bird, but an invisible thing, a voice, a mystery’ in his poem ‘To The Cuckoo’.
Silver fox
The melanistic form of the red fox-silver fox- looks too dark and ugly to the eye but do not underestimate its black coloured fur. The coats or dresses made from the fur of the silver fox were once worn by the elite class in Russia, Western Europe and China. The fine quality furs of the silver fox gives off such a regal appeal that each one of us will confidently say that possessing dresses comprising of these furs will burn a hole in our pockets. Today, some online sites sells silver fox fur garments but none of them come cheap. Be prepared to shell out some money if you are thinking of buying a dress of silver fox fur.
Black holes
Another astounding thing about the colour black is the presence of black holes in the universe. Science says that black hole is a place in a space where gravity gets pulled so much that even light cannot get out. Our eyes cannot witness black holes as no light is emitted from black holes. According to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), tiny black holes can have the mass of a large mountain. The space research organization also states that there are some black holes called ‘stellar’ whose mass can be twenty times more than the mass of the sun. Some black holes known as ‘supermassive’ black holes have masses that are more than one million suns together. Renowned cosmologist Stephen Hawking had written a number of books on black holes. To know more about these amazing black things of the universe, you can grab Hawking’s books ‘Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays’,’ A Brief History of Time: From Big Bang to Black Holes’.
Obsidian
This black precious stone that has a glass like structure was most commonly used to produce sharp weapons and tools of yore. You will be surprised to know that the harmless looking black crystalline rock formed by the rapid cooling of molten rock materials can be used for the production of blades whose edges are much finer than those of steel blades. Popularly known as the ‘Stone Age Equipment’ because of its rampant use in production of ancient weapons such as arrowheads, sharp blades of knives and swords and even mirrors, obsidian is also used today to make scalpel blades that are used by some surgeons for conducting precise operations. A CNN report had quoted Dr. Lee Green, a professor of medicine at University of Alberta as saying that scalpel blades manufactured with obsidian causes little trauma to tissues, helps tissues in healing faster and also causes less scarring. He also claimed that obsidian scalpels can cut the skin smoothly than steel scalpels which leaves rough marks on skin. Apart from tools, obsidian is also used as a gemstone because of its crystalline structure. Known as the ‘Psychic Vacuum Cleaner’, obsidian crystal is believed to be a good omen for warding off negative emotions.
Coal
The black hard rock –coal- has multiple uses all over the world. According to the World Coal Association, steam coal is used in power generation and coking coal is used for steel production. Other important users of coal include alumina refineries, paper manufacturers, and the chemical and pharmaceutical industries. Several chemical products can be produced from the by-products of coal. Specialist products of coal such as activated carbon, carbon fibre and silicon metals are used for production of useful products. While activated carbon is used in filters for water and air purification and in kidney dialysis machines, carbon fibre is used in construction, mountain bikes and tennis rackets. Silicon metal is used to produce silicones and silanes, which are in turn used to make lubricants, water repellents, resins, cosmetics, hair shampoos and toothpastes..
Basalt
The dark coloured igneous rock can be termed as a building block of construction. Basalt is formed when lava reaches the earth’s surface at a volcano or a mid-ocean ridge. The black magnesium rich and iron rich material after being crushed shows off its true power as it forms the base material of roads, rails which are the necessary avenues for the world for everyday life as well as economic development. However, the largest occurrence of basalt is in the ocean floor. Therefore, most of the islands such as Iceland and Hawaii are rich sources of basalt. Isn’t it astounding that an important component of construction material and that too of the dark colour occurs in deepest surfaces of the Earth?
Karate Black Belt
The highly praised and known form of martial art symbolize the colour black in the most positive way. If you are a possessor of a black belt in karate, it means that you have achieved the highest level in learning the intricate and powerful steps of karate and is a supreme master of the martial art. Apart from the black belt, the levels of qualification in karate ( ascending order) includes white belt, yellow belt, orange belt, green belt, blue belt, purple belt, brown belt, red belt and finally the black belt. It is quite noteworthy that the martial art which you should surely learn for self-defense against the big bad world upholds the colour of fear as a colour of strength.
Black Garments
Black has been raging as a colour in the fashion circuit now. From the trendy Little Black Dress (LBD) that has a revered position in every woman’s wardrobe to the high-status corporate black coat, black is indeed a timeless colour of fashion. Black outfits look distinctly appealing to an eye and does not make a dress appear to be over designed nor over simple. Moreover, most of the robes worn on the convocation ceremony are of black colour. So guys, make sure to stock up some black garments of your choice and if you have some, just rock it in a badass way.
