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Light pollution is getting worse across much of the globe, with the exception of countries like Yemen and Syria:
A study of pictures of Earth by night has revealed that artificial light is growing brighter and more extensive every year. Between 2012 and 2016, the planet's artificially lit outdoor area grew by more than 2% per year. Scientists say a "loss of night" in many countries is having negative consequences for "flora, fauna, and human well-being".
A team published the findings in the journal Science Advances. Their study used data from a Nasa satellite radiometer - a device designed specifically to measure the brightness of night-time light. It showed that changes in brightness over time varied greatly by country. Some of the world's "brightest nations", such as the US and Spain, remained the same. Most nations in South America, Africa and Asia grew brighter. [...]
- In 2016, the American Medical Association officially recognised the "detrimental effects of poorly designed, high-intensity LED lighting", saying it encouraged communities to "minimise and control blue-rich environmental lighting by using the lowest emission of blue light possible to reduce glare. The sleep-inducing hormone melatonin is particularly sensitive to blue light.
- A recent study published in the journal Nature [DOI: 10.1038/nature23288] [DX] revealed that artificial light was a threat to crop pollination - reducing the pollinating activity of nocturnal insects.
- Research in the UK revealed that trees in more brightly lit areas burst their buds up to a week earlier [open, DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2016.0813] [DX] than those in areas without artificial lighting.
- A study published earlier this year found that urban light installations "dramatically altered" the behaviour of nocturnally migrating birds.
Lead researcher Christopher Kyba from the German Research Centre for Geoscience in Potsdam said that the introduction of artificial light was "one of the most dramatic physical changes human beings have made to our environment".
Also at Sky & Telescope, NPR, and EurekAlert.
Artificially lit surface of Earth at night increasing in radiance and extent (open, DOI: 10.1126/sciadv.1701528) (DX)
Previously: Bring on the Night, say National Park Visitors in New Study
Light Pollution Prevents 80% of North Americans From Seeing the Milky Way
Study Shows That Artificial Lights Deter Nocturnal Pollinators
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Monday November 27 2017, @04:40PM (7 children)
But think and remember back a few millennia when we were younger. Night has always been a time when people are concerned for their personal safety. Because: bad people! Who do bad things! While you are asleep! (not to imply Santa) Ancient cities were built with walls and the gates were shut at night in a way that could be taken as most unwelcoming. If they had modern lights, they would have used them.
But one idea that might help with light pollution: Safety lights triggered by motion sensors or other types of censors.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 2) by edIII on Monday November 27 2017, @08:09PM (3 children)
I think you're forgetting that other human beings weren't the only things to be afraid of in the dark. Plenty of places in the world where you are keeping out other apex predators. Light was traditionally provided by fire, and that scared off a lot of different animals. Possibly because it confused them.
Motion sensors can be triggered by animal life quite a bit. Better to get nightvision sensors and a small controller to detect bipedal motion before turning on the light.
Technically, lunchtime is at any moment. It's just a wave function.
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday November 27 2017, @11:20PM (2 children)
We've refined the gene pool of so many apex predators to be afraid of us, the fire all night trick might not be needed anymore.
Florida alligators were hunted to near extinction in the 1970s, then we let the population rebound from the ones that managed to not get shot back then. When they get aggressive, they get killed. I imagine much the same happening to lions, tigers and bears all over the world.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by acid andy on Tuesday November 28 2017, @01:39AM (1 child)
Maybe, to those that are left, but they're really dying out too fast to effectively evolve due to poaching and massive loss of habitat. Many subspecies of tiger for example are now down to a few hundred individuals if not already extinct in the last few decades.
If a cat has kittens, does a rat have rittens, a bat bittens and a mat mittens?
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Tuesday November 28 2017, @04:13AM
Ten years ago, this sounded crazy, but not anymore: https://5050by2150.wordpress.com/ [wordpress.com]
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 2) by JoeMerchant on Monday November 27 2017, @08:16PM
Motion sensor security lighting is a whole lot better than always-on. I have some solar path-lighting that glows just above starlight levels until it senses you move, at which point it becomes more like full-moon lighting - it works great on the sunny side of the house, under the trees not so much.
🌻🌻 [google.com]
(Score: 3, Funny) by aristarchus on Monday November 27 2017, @11:12PM (1 child)
Turn off that light! You can't say that here! Do you know how many Soylentils you have triggered with your suggestion of universal surveillance?
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Tuesday November 28 2017, @02:11PM
The motion sensors and the censors always turn ON the lights when unwanted activity is detected in the darkness. Like cats doing shameful things that should be done by neither man, nor beast, nor covfefe grabbers.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.