In Las Vegas, the Fiction Surrounding Heat and Traffic Lights is Debunked
During this past weekend's scorching 110-degree heat in Las Vegas, a photo of a melting traffic light made its way around social media.
The image was shared on June 6 by the Facebook group Sin City Las Vegas Locals, receiving 33,000 likes and 2,500 comments.
Many people weighed in on the matter:
A page named Let's Explain, which claims to be a science and tech expert, tried to make sense of the situation.
Beneath the photograph, it stated that "traffic light covers are usually made of plastic, which can warp or melt when exposed to high temperatures." The post also mentioned that intense sunlight, the heat absorption of darker colors, and poor airflow within the signal casing likely contributed to the incident.
Nevertheless, contemporary traffic light enclosures aren't fabricated with plastic. In Las Vegas and across the United States, they're produced from aluminum alloys built to withstand an average temperature of 600°F.
The sweltering temperature record for Las Vegas was 118°F, set on June 26, 1931, and replicated on July 10, 2021. While sunlight can undoubtedly heat up dark-colored objects more than their surroundings, it's impossible for it to elevate temperatures to six times those surrounding them.
Moreover, the explanation fails to address how the melting scenario could have resulted from air temperature or direct sunlight if one side of the traffic light melted while the other side remained unaffected.
Dispelling the Darkness
The traffic signal seen in the photo originates not from Las Vegas but from Italy, where it melted due to the heat of a scooter that caught fire beneath it on July 25, 2022.
The incident took place at the corner of Viale Regina Margherita and Via Bergamo in Milan.
We learn this from Instagram user Simone Lunghi, who posted a video of himself standing next to the damaged traffic light four days later.
The Sin City Las Vegas Locals did not falsely claim that this was a traffic light that melted owing to the Las Vegas heat. Their caption only suggested, "Vegas Summer has arrived," accompanied by a sun emoticon.
We advise you repeatedly not to believe everything you come across on the internet, children. However, we secretly delight in your disregard of our warnings, as this means more misconceptions about Las Vegas we can debunk.
Keep an eye out for "Vegas Myths Debunked," which appears every Monday on Click here to view previously disproven Vegas fables. Do you have a supposition about a Vegas myth that needs debunking? Email us at [email address].
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