Lights observed in the U.S. by a satellite in the Department of Defense's Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP). Photo courtesy of the National Geophysical Data Center.
The invention of electric lights at the end of the 19th Century ended the ancient tyranny of darkness over our lives. Turning on the lights at night has allowed us to make every hour count. But while nighttime lighting has given us unprecedented security and uncountable opportunities, we may be reaching the point where we have too much of a good thing. The Great Lakes Radio Consortium’s Ed Janus reports on two people involved in an international effort to turn the lights down a little and take back the night: