Every year the night sky becomes 10% brighter

iGuRu.gr > Every year the night sky becomes 10% brighter

Every year, the night sky gets 10% brighter. 80% of people live under skies that suffer from light pollution. And while the UN has declared a healthy environment — with clean air and clean water — a human right, I believe we all have a right to darkness as well.

This doesn't mean we should turn off every streetlight. But do we really need the bright white headlights in front of every garage? If we replaced the lights with ones that are bright enough to do their job — and no more — we might not have to get in the car and drive for hours to see the night sky as it really is above our heads.

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Maintaining darkness would require rules and controls regarding the heat of light, the direction of lights, and their intensity. It would mean not placing three lights where one is enough. If we recognized that darkness is something we need, we would be more careful and not chase it away.

Accessing the dark is about more than stargazing. The night is a special habitat in itself. Artificial lights disorient animals that use moonlight for orientation, whether it's hatchling sea turtles heading for a parking lot instead of the ocean, or moths flying in circles around a light bulb.

Fireflies and frogs need darkness to complete their mating rituals. Migratory birds lose their way because of the bright lights of big cities.

However, the effects of light pollution remain visible even after dawn. Research has shown that light pollution disrupts the relationship between plants and pollinators, shifts the timing of tree flowering, and disrupts the circadian rhythms of all living organisms.

This includes humans. Whether it's artificial lighting indoors or light coming through a window at night, studies have shown that we need darkness to rest, recover, and maintain our health.

DOI: 10.1126/science.abq7781