UL Research Institutes

10/16/2026

The 1917 silent film, “An Unbeliever Convinced,” was one method used by our organization to communicate the importance of fire safety in industrial buildings. Today, we continue to share stories of impact from across our institutes in the hopes of influencing those with the power to make the world a safer place.

Watch the full silent film and documentary, linked in our bio!

USC HMH Foundation Moving Image Archive UMD Libraries Periscope Film

10/04/2026

This year’s Fire Prevention Week shines a light on lithium-ion battery charging risks.

More than 130 years ago, William Henry Merrill helped bring a science-based approach to the safety questions that came with emerging electrical technologies. Today, that legacy continues across the UL enterprise through the distinct but connected roles of UL Solutions , UL Standards & Engagement and UL Research Institutes.

UL Solutions brings testing, inspection, certification expertise and complementary software to help products, systems and technologies meet evolving requirements.

UL Standards & Engagement advances standards development and stakeholder engagement to support safety outcomes.

UL Research Institutes advances independent safety science research and public-interest education, including Fire Safety Research Institute resources focused on fire safety challenges and lithium-ion battery risks.

Together, those perspectives help connect our fire safety roots to today’s safety challenges.

09/21/2026

We recently celebrated the grand opening of a new exhibit at the
Chicago History Museum on Aug. 25th. The exhibit installation, with the help of UL Standards & Engagement and UL Solutions, honors the legacy of Underwriters Laboratories and the city the UL enterprise has called home for over 130 years.

The evening also featured a screening of Underwriters Laboratories' newly restored 1917 silent film, An Unbeliever Convinced — the first public viewing in possibly 100 years. Filmed in Chicago, featuring local actors and real firefighters, the fictional story underscores the themes of public safety, industrial progress, and city history captured throughout the museum's exhibit.

Learn more at our latest article: https://ul.org/traditions/chicago-fire-and-safety-leadership-celebrate-museum-installation-opening-and-historic-film-premiere/

And get an insider first look at the exhibit here: https://youtu.be/DDZDb5PF4Lw?si=KUd0697j-ctcwz3L

UL Solutions, along with UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & ...

09/10/2026

We’re proud to share that our century-old industrial film “An Unbeliever Convinced” (1917) was screened at the Cinecon Classic Film Festival this past weekend, alongside NBCUniversal’s “You’re a Sweetheart” (1937), MGM’s “The Main Attraction” (1962), and many others.

The Cinecon screening of “An Unbeliever Convinced” comes more than 100 years after its last known screenings from 1917 to 1925 by insurance organizations, fire departments, and educational groups.

Over the last 18 months, the film itself has become a unique and compelling story about the recovery, restoration, and scoring of a rare safety film type, that is once again available for public viewing.

Learn more about the film’s journey from tiny pieces to premiere-ready: https://ul.org/news/how-a-silent-film-helped-make-industrial-america-and-the-film-industry-safer/

Periscope Film LLC USC School of Cinematic Arts University of Maryland UMD Libraries

09/03/2026

Last year, we helped rescue the only remaining print of a 109-year-old fire prevention film called "An Unbeliever Convinced". This film was released on an obscure format called 28mm, an innovative type of safety film that was created by Pathé to compete against flammable nitrate stocks promoted by Kodak.

Working with the University of Maryland, the University of Southern California, and UL Research Institutes — who originally financed the film back in 1917! — the fragile and shrunken film was preserved, scanned, received a brand new score by composer Jon Mirsalis, and is tonight making its debut in a private screening at the Chicago History Museum. We've done a lot of work in this realm but this one really stands out!

You can see a minidoc about the film at:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCD2C498Q94

P.S.: We will post a link to the scan of "Unbeliever Convinced" down the line — once it makes its official debut at the Cinecon Classic Film Festival, September 4th, in Los Angeles.

09/03/2026

In 2025, a brittle 28mm diacetate copy was discovered in the University of Maryland UMD Libraries archive. In a collaboration between Periscope Film LLC, the USC School of Cinematic Arts‬, and UL Research Institutes, the film has since been restored, digitized, and scored — saving it from joining the countless silent-era movies erased by time, neglect, and the fragility of early motion-picture formats.

Now, we're bringing a slice of our history to !

Our recently restored 1917 silent , “An Unbeliever Convinced,” will be shown this week at the 62nd Cinecon Classic Film Festival — the film’s first public screening in possibly 100 years.

The screening will take place at 8pm on Friday, September 4th, at the Landmark Nuart Theatre in West Los Angeles. It will include a live musical accompaniment of the newly commissioned, period-accurate score.

Check out the link in our bio to learn more about our silent film documentary here: https://youtu.be/KCD2C498Q94?si=Zce8onpxPOgfi2GJ

And to get your film festival tickets here: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dc1a37pFiE-/?img_index=1

09/03/2026

08/27/2026

Once lost to time, a rare silent film has found its way back to our organization.

Produced by Underwriters Laboratories in 1917, “An Unbeliever Convinced” chronicles a wealthy real estate owner’s disregard for fire safety and the tragic consequences that follow.

The film was screened by insurance organizations, fire departments, and educational groups for nearly a decade, but company records make no mention of its whereabouts after 1925.

Exactly 100 years later, the film resurfaced at the University of Maryland Libraries. It has since been restored, scored, and is once again available for public viewing.

“An Unbeliever Convinced” is a rare visual record of early 20th-century fire prevention, Chicago firefighting methods, and our organization’s use of storytelling to advance public safety – and we are pleased to reshare it with the world.

To learn more about the film’s century-long history and its passionate restoration, watch our short documentary now: https://youtu.be/KCD2C498Q94?si=ccl-XsvOppWyTTO1

An Unbeliever Convinced is a silent film from 1917 that was redisco...

08/27/2026

We are delighted to share the opening of a new exhibit installation at the Chicago History Museum - The Symbol of Safety: The Story of Underwriters Laboratories and the Creation of Safety Science.

Through historic artifacts, photographs, documents, and stories from the UL's archives, visitors will discover how testing and evaluation helped address emerging fire and electrical hazards, shaping modern approaches to risk reduction and consumer protection.

Along with a ribbon cutting, UL, CHM, and our valued partners celebrated the world premiere of a rare silent film about fire safety. Produced by Underwriters Laboratories in 1917, “An Unbeliever Convinced” chronicles a wealthy real estate owner’s disregard for fire safety and the tragic consequences that follow.

You can now go experience the exhibit starting August 26. Learn more at: https://www.chicagohistory.org/exhibition/chicago-crossroads-of-america/

To learn more about the film’s century-long history and its passionate restoration, watch our short documentary now: https://youtu.be/KCD2C498Q94?si=ccl-XsvOppWyTTO1

08/27/2026