Our Vanishing Night

The growth of cities across the globe has obscured the line between night and day. Artificial lights that regularly brighten the night sky for human activity in metropolises and their suburbs has repercussions on humans and other living organisms that are only now beginning to be understood. Increased light disrupts the migratory patterns of birds, confuses newborn sea turtles, upsets amphibious breeding schedules, and further endangers nocturnal prey. Likewise, humans are not immune from effects of light pollution. Journalist Verlyn Klinkenborg explains the link between humans' biological clocks and nighttime: "In the end, humans are no less trapped by light pollution than the frogs in a pond near a brightly lit highway. Living in a glare of our own making, we have cut ourselves off from our evolutionary and cultural patrimony – the light of the stars and the rhythms of day and night." Initiatives in Flagstaff, Arizona, and the Czech Republic aim at darkening the night sky, but widespread recognition of light pollution's harmful effects is needed to remedy the problems worldwide. New designs and installations, turning off lights when not needed, would cut the glare and save energy. Ultimately, light pollution is but an example of the unintended, largely neglected effects of globalized expectations of city and suburban life. – YaleGlobal