Candle

light · history · fire

Ancient invention. People have been using candles for over 2,000 years! They were one of the best ways to light homes before electric lights were invented.

How they work. A candle has a wick (a twisted string) stuck in wax or tallow (hardened animal fat). When you light the wick, it burns and melts the wax, which feeds the flame and gives off light.

Keeping time. Before clocks were common, people actually used candles to measure time, they'd watch how fast the candle burned down to know how many hours had passed.

Still useful today. Even though we have electricity now, people still love candles for making rooms cozy, for special ceremonies, for smelling nice, and for important religious celebrations.

Different materials. Candles can be made from wax, tallow, or other flammable substances, and modern candles often use paraffin wax or natural materials like beeswax and soy wax.