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Sep 8, 2014 · Light pollution affects human health. Research suggests that artificial light at night can negatively affect human health, increasing risks for obesity, depression, sleep disorders, diabetes, breast cancer and more. “Many species (including humans) need darkness to survive and thrive.”. – American Medical Association Council on Science ...
- Affects on Astronomy and Night Vision
- Health Risks
- Implications on Wildlife Behaviour
- Additional Resources
- Bibliography
One of the immediate effects light pollution has on our environment is to obscure our view of the true night sky, according to telescope manufacturer Celestron. Without the presence of artificial light, the night sky is awash with celestial bodies, far away galaxiesand constellations. However, if you’re looking up from the belly of a big city, you’...
Other than depriving us of a starry star, there are many more implications to excess use of artificial light, such as throwing the human body's natural cycle out of whack. Circadian rhythms are a group of physiological and neurological changes that occur in the body over a 24-hour-period. Collectively they’re also known as our body clock and is rel...
Along with health issues, light pollution can interfere with the behaviours of wildlife. Nocturnal predators such as batsare among the most affected by light pollution. These flying mammals are well adapted to hunting at night and actively avoid illuminated areas. Unfortunately, their insect prey is attracted to light sources, which leads to barren...
For more information about light pollution, check out "The End of Night: Searching for Natural Darkness in an Age of Artificial Light" by Paul Bogard and "Fighting Light Pollution: Smart Lighting Solutions for Individuals and Communities" by The International Dark-Sky Association.
The International Dark-Sky Association "Light pollution", accessed April 2022.John E. Bortle, "The Bortle Dark-Sky Scale", accessed April 2022.Celestron, "What is light pollution and how does it affect views through my telescope?", February 2022.Rebecca Morelle, "Light pollution 'affects 80% of global population'", BBC, June 2016.- Scott Dutfield
Jan 1, 2009 · The health effects of light pollution have not been as well defined for humans as for wildlife, although a compelling amount of epidemiologic evidence points to a consistent association between exposure to indoor artificial nighttime light and health problems such as breast cancer, says George Brainard, a professor of neurology at Jefferson Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University in ...
- Ron Chepesiuk
- 2009
Jun 15, 2022 · 1. Light pollution interrupts wildlife patterns and harms biodiversity. Birds, bats and insects are among those in the natural world affected by light pollution, studies show. Migratory birds rely on natural light to guide them and interruptions can lead to collisions and incorrect navigations on their long-distance journeys.
The use of artificial light at night has expanded and intensified over past decades, and recent advances in LED technology have accelerated those trends. Light pollution severely disrupts nocturnal ecosystems, interferes with the natural rhythms of plants and animals, mars the wilderness experience and landscape beauty, carries risks to human health and safety, and wastes energy.
May 1, 2023 · Light pollution is an emerging environmental issue that comes along with intensified urbanization and industrialization. The threats to human health from light pollution have increased dramatically in the past decades (Davies and Smyth, 2018), and it is estimated that today over 80% of the world's population has been impacted by the prevalence of light pollution in different forms (Falchi et ...
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Sep 5, 2024 · Scientists are increasingly recognizing that this excessive light pollution can have severe health consequences, from poor sleep to breast cancer, stroke, and other diseases. The full scope of the ...
