Like any hot-blooded tech-enthusiast, you probably love Nixie tubes. They look cool, have a retro appeal, and are very readable—what's not… ... Driving a Nixie tube requires high voltages, which can be dangerous. On top of that, controlling them isn't exactly intuitive compared to our modern—usually LED—components.

Are Nixie tubes toxic?

It's somewhat safe but potentially lethal. I tested everything with a meter and shorted all leads together to make sure mains are off. Be careful and think twice before you do anything.

Why did they stop making Nixie tubes?

In the 1970s, Nixies were eclipsed by LEDs, which were not only much cheaper to make and use but also more versatile. The tubes might have died the lonely death of countless other obsolete devices—and yet they did not. Some Nixies lingered on in legacy equipment, of course.