SMRTR Science & EngineeringJul 6, 2026Science News

Pickles glow when you plug them in. Science explains why

SMRTR summary

Plugging a pickle into an electrical outlet makes it glow bright orange — a decades-old trick that scientists at Portland State University have now explained. The glow requires alternating current, which keeps a vapor pocket open long enough for sparks to ignite hydrogen gas produced inside the pickle, while the juicier end always glows because brine collects there.

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