If you’ve driven in the country and experienced a car coming at you with their high-beams on, you sort of know what Michael Evenson experiences. Regular low-beam LED headlights are so bad for him that, wherever he is on the road, he has to stop until the “terror brightness” passes. Michael points out that we should look at Europe where headlights must be shielded or aimed to point only on the road. Why can’t we do that here?

Born in 1945 at the head of the Boomer Generation which meant that anything Michael was interested in became a fashion for much of the country.  He got a liberal arts degree from UC Berkeley, and headed for the hills to carve out a life with other community building individuals, raising children, and preserving environmental health. He turned to farming and ranching, and has owned the Lost Coast Ranch, from the late 60s to the present.  He is the owner and founder, in 1986, of OldGrowthTimbers.com specializing in dismantling old buildings to salvage the precious old redwood, while routinely trucking lumber and livestock on the back roads and highways of California.  He is the long time President of the Mattole Salmon Group, spending a lifetime restoring salmon to the Mattole River.

Highlights from this episode:

• Counting Birds
• Hazy Memories
• Court Decisions
• Parrotheads v Turtle Nests

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources can be found at restoringdarkness.com

Awareness. That is what light pollution needs. Awareness on the part of the consumer and the supplier. Tim Ryan is a landscape lighting designer who is aware of light pollution. A good designer is not looking for the brightest LED. It’s about nuance, balance, layering, and texture. As Tim says, “a little bit of light goes a long way.” Tim is The Lighthouse Group executive director, one of the principal lighting designers for the Lighthouse Design Studio and the professional photographer documenting all of the finished projects for our group. He has been on this “lighting ride” for 27 years, starting with integrated lighting into his landscape designs from the very beginning and 5 years later moving into the outdoor lighting business solely after falling in love with the mood, magic and totally new perspective that the illuminated garden space provides. He’s been with Lighthouse since 2015 and is passionate about educating the next generation of outdoor lighting designers for the future of this art. 

One thing leads to another. Jessica’s family's favorite place is Joshua Tree National Park. There she likes to sneak out of the tent at night and look up at the stars. Living in the city and knowing what they’re missing there, she dove deeper into the subject of Light pollution. That brought her to FLAP Canada and discovering that the Lights Out movement really started there. Not only that, it was children and teachers that brought it to light. And so she thought it fitting to point that out in her book, “Lights Out: A Movement To Help MIgrating Birds.”

Jessica Stremer is an award-winning children’s author who combines her love of science and writing to create books that inspire kids to explore and think critically about the world around them. Her other titles include GREAT CARRIER REEF (a Cook Prize Silver Medalist and NY Public Library Best Book of the Year), FIRE ESCAPE: How Animals and Plants Survive Wildfires (a JLG Gold Standard selection), PLIGHT OF THE PELICAN: How Science Saved a Species, TRAPPED IN THE TAR PIT, and WONDERFULLY WILD. Jessica obtained a B.S. in Biology, with an emphasis in Ecology, from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. She was a recipient of the 2023 Stephen Fraser Encouragement Award and 2023 finalist for the Russel Freedman award. When not writing you can find Jessica cheering from the sideline of her kids’ soccer games, spending time outdoors, and planning her next family adventure. Find Jessica's book here.

Highlights from this episode:
 - Regulators
 - Diabetes
 - Florida
 - Ads In Space

Sponsored by  Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources at https://restoringdarkness.com/

Highlights from this episode:

• Test Cases
• Case Studies
• Waterfronts
• A History Lesson

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources can be found at RestoringDarkness.com

Yep. Our first politician. And she’s on our side. Senator Ellman got Bill SB3501, The Outdoor Lighting Control Act, passed in both houses in Illinois. Senator Ellman will admit she didn’t get everything she wanted in it, but as she says, this is just one step on the path (this IS politics after all). We were impressed with her humility, honesty, and down to earth approach - politician or not. NOTE: There were some video and audio issues with Senator Ellman, but we deemed them not bad enough and the content too good not to release the episode. State Senator Laura Ellman was first elected to serve in the Illinois General Assembly in November of 2018 and re-elected in 2022. Senate District 21 includes parts of Bolingbrook, Downers Grove, Glen Ellyn, Lisle, Lombard, Naperville, Wheaton and Warrenville. Senator Ellman currently serves on a number of committees, including Agriculture; Appropriations, Chairperson of Environment and Conservation; Vice-Chairperson of Financial Institutions; Transportation and Veterans Affairs. Senator Ellman was the first child to attend college in both her parents’ families. After graduating from Grinnell College with a degree in mathematics, she earned a masters’ degree in applied statistics at the University of Iowa. Professionally, she has more than 25 years of experience working in manufacturing and engineering and dealing with regulations and policies. Senator Ellman currently lives in Naperville with her husband Pete, a musician and small business owner, and they are proud parents of two adult children.

Connect with Senator Ellman: http://senatorlauraellman.com/ https://www.facebook.com/senatorellman/ https://www.instagram.com/statesenatorlauraellman/  

Highlights from this episode:

• FDA Denials
• There’s an App for That
• Pauses and Paws at the Border
• Stressed Rodents

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle

Headlines and Sources at restoringdarkness.com

Beautiful Merrymeeting Bay in Maine, is an important area for wildlife habitat, and for humans. For decades, people have enjoyed a pristine view of the night sky - until the local electrical utility replaced two towers and lit them up, right at the iconic Chops, lighting the area for miles around. Ed and the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay got that changed, but they ended up out of the frying pan and into the fire with an aircraft radar detection system. And the battle continues. On the Friends of Merrymeeting Bay (FOMB) Steering Committee since the winter of 1993, Ed has been Chair since 1996. In this work he has written major grants and initiated projects in the areas of land conservation, research, advocacy, and education. Two projects, Aquatic & Upland Habitat Assessment of Merrymeeting Bay over time utilizing historical and current aerial photography combined with GIS to look at land use and vegetation changes over time; and Caged Bivalve Studies on the Kennebec and Androscoggin to monitor PCBs and dioxins, have been the first projects of their type in the state of Maine and quite successful. A multi-year Circulation Study of the Bay and six tributaries was also a major accomplishment. Most recently FOMB has been on the cutting edge of affordable PFAS sampling. 

Patrick is the DarkSky International delegate in the Fargo North Dakota area. Patrick has found that framing the light pollution argument around astronomy, animal life, ecosystems, etc. can cause some audiences to nod off and glaze over. What gets everyone’s attention is “light trespass,” and human health. Lead with that and then people will listen to the other reasons why light pollution is a problem. And of course, there is the one argument that gets EVERYONE’S attention. Turn off your lights and save money! Patrick Sommer has been a lifelong enthusiast for the night sky, space exploration, and in late 2019 translated that enthusiasm into an application to be a delegate for the International Dark-Sky Association, now known as DarkSky International. Representing the organization in the Fargo, North Dakota area, by 2020 he was working social media accounts and as the world moved in and out of COVID restrictions getting in front of local sustainability and astronomy clubs. Additionally, he has represented the night to the now dormant Red River Valley Climate Action Committee and presented information on light pollution to the City of Fargo’s Sustainability and Resiliency Committee and the City of Moorhead’s Streetlight subcommittee. Of late he has been active with Starry Skies North, a conglomerate of Dark Sky enthusiast and activists based in Duluth and Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Connect with Patrick: @StarrySkiesND on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter/X
https://www.linkedin.com/in/patrick-sommer-28926b58/

Connect with The Soft Lights Foundation: https://www.softlights.org 

The Darkness News Update is a biweekly series that explores current events in light at night – be it biological research, new developments in lamps, actions by advocates, and changes in policy.

Highlights from this episode:

• Going Back to Court
• New Policies
• Migrations
• Email

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and sources for this episode can be found on restoringdarkness.com

Nearly all animals see light differently than we do. Dr. Seymour endeavors to understand how light drives organismal behavior. To that end, he tries to bridge the gap between astronomers, light engineers and biologists. Each of these camps has elements of tools and measurement models that he thinks could be brought together collaboratively and synergistically to benefit our ecosystem and the study of it.

Dr. Seymoure’s research program is interdisciplinary and combines physiological, histological, and astronomical methods to understand the importance of natural light as well as the consequences of artificial light on animal behavior and ecology of animals. Overall objectives of his research are to: 1) determine how light cycles have driven visual adaptations and predator-prey dynamics; 2) quantify and investigate the myriad effects and consequences of artificial light at night on animals (mostly insects, spiders, and reptiles) from the cellular to landscape level; 3) investigate visual and morphological (e.g. coloration) adaptations that render individuals more evolutionarily successful; 4) develop techniques for quantifying light in a non-human and biologically relevant manner; 5) quantify and monitor insect populations in the Chihuahuan desert; and 6) utilize current biological research to increase learning efficacy in undergraduate courses. To accomplish these objectives, Dr. Seymoure relies upon both field and laboratory work that ranges from electrophysiology of animal eyes, automated video tracking of animal behavior, and predator-prey experiments under natural conditions.

We’ve all experienced a camera flash that leaves us blind for a couple of seconds. Now imagine that happening every time some LED headlights hit your eyes from cars on the freeway. And you’re going 60 MPH.That’s what happens to Johanna Wilson. Ironically, emergency lights are the worst of all! It’s so bad that she cannot drive at night. Let’s get these LED lights off the road! (https://www.facebook.com/p/Petition-to-ban-LED-headlights-100066336797916) Johanna Wilson is a seasoned business management professional with focuses in business administration, operations, and regulatory affairs. She is also deeply committed to her community, regularly volunteering for organizations in women’s leadership and human trafficking prevention. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and boxer-lab mix, Kingsley. 

The Darkness News Update is a biweekly series that explores current events in light at night – be it biological research, new developments in lamps, actions by advocates, and changes in policy.

Highlights from this episode:

• Self Drive
• Bike Trails
• Beer Run
• Moth Traps

Sponsored by Evluma

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

This one isn’t exactly about light pollution, but you’re going to want to hear it anyway. It’s all about 5G. No, not the “5G cell towers are giving you Covid 19” conspiracy, this is about the deleterious effects of radio frequency waves on your health. With the lack of updated standards, and the usual corporate protectionism, this train is full speed ahead unless people like Odette can cut the tracks. Take your phone away from your head! 

Odette Wilkens has been a technology transactional attorney for over 20 years, having represented multi-national corporations in entertainment, finance and technology.  She co-founded Wired Broadband, Inc. (WBI) a non-profit in New York City, and The National Call for Safe Technology, a coalition of over 100 organizations and individuals nationwide.  Both organizations advocate protections for the public by promoting safer telecommunications.   Expanding her efforts in NYC, she founded the NYC Alliance for Safe Technology, a coalition of NYC residents, civic leaders, and community board leaders and members, advocating for the responsible placement of wireless facilities.  In her various roles, she has been promoting the benefits of wired broadband connectivity to bridge the digital divide for the unserved, underserved and disabled communities. 

Connect with Odette: National level: https://thenationalcall.org/ Local level (NYC): https://www.wiredbroadband.org/ www.facebook.com/wiredbroadband linkedin.com/in/odette-j-wilkens-esq-8153a32

The Darkness News Update is a biweekly series that explores current events in light at night – be it biological research, new developments in lamps, actions by advocates, and changes in policy. This series is sponsored by Evluma.

Highlights from this episode:

• Space Race
• Rat Race
• Flock and Flyways 
• Protests

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources can be found on restoringdarkness.com

Epidemiology. From the Greek “epi,” meaning “among,” and “demos” meaning “the people.” In modern usage, epidemiology is the study of disease in populations. Professor Edwards uses this term for the “disease” of road traffic accidents. He has done extensive research on this in relation to reduced street lighting, by compiling data from scores of municipalities in Britain and has come to the conclusion that… well you’ll have to listen to the episode. Phil Edwards is a Professor of Epidemiology & Statistics at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, one of the world's leading public health universities. His research has focused on road safety (particularly of pedestrians), and he has used interrupted time series analysis methods to evaluate the effects of 20 mph traffic speed zones on road injuries in London and the effects of reduced street lighting on road casualties and crime in England. Most recently, he has researched construction site injuries in lower income countries, where rapid urbanization requires construction on an unprecedented scale. 

Highlights from this episode:
 - ALAN and Stroke
 - DST and Mortality
 - Lamps and Fixtures that Are Not Sponsors
 - New Ordinances

Sponsor:  Evluma  
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/ 

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources:

ALAN Increases Risk of Stroke
https://www.ahajournals.org/doi/10.1161/STROKEAHA.123.044904

ANSES Recommends Limiting Blue Light Exposure
https://www.anses.fr/en/content/leds-anses%E2%80%99s-recommendations-limiting-exposure-blue-light

DST Does Affect Mortality Rates
https://bmjmedicine.bmj.com/content/3/1/e000771

Low Income, Racialized Neighborhoods in US South Have More Light Pollution
https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/6/2/16

Red Lights for Research Labs
https://www.arch-products.com/featured/article/33016026/the-case-for-using-narrow-spectrum-non-filtered-red-led-lighting-in-animal-research-facilities

Panasonic Launches Anti-Glare Anti-Light Pollution LED Flood Lamp
https://re-how.net/699537/

Cree Lighting Debuts Street Lighting Products for 'Visual Comfort' 
https://www.uslightingtrends.com/portfolio/cree-lighting-introduces-guideway-series-street-light-that-delivers-visual-comfort/

 Emerson Offers New Industrial LEDs for Low Light Trespass
https://electricalindustry.ca/product-news/emerson-upgrades-led-industrial-luminaires-to-support-drive-to-lower-energy-requirements-and-minimize-light-pollution/

More Brands Are Offering Turtle-Friendly Tape LEDs
https://www.lightnowblog.com/2024/03/growth-in-turtle-friendly-tape-light/

UK Gov to Research Headlights
https://www.iaaf.co.uk/news/govt-plans-to-independently-research-headlamp-glare/#:~:text=Once%20implemented%2C%20these%20tougher%20requirements,identify%20any%20further%20appropriate%20mitigations.

UT Governor Signs Dark Sky Month Proclamation
https://utahnewsdispatch.com/briefs/utah-governor-names-april-dark-sky-month/

Summit County and Park City, UT Set Lighting Ordinances
https://www.kpcw.org/summit-county/2024-04-04/summit-county-park-city-dark-skies-ordinances-take-full-effect-this-year

Brisbane, CA Begins Work on Lighting Ordinance Compliance
https://www.cbsnews.com/sanfrancisco/news/brisbane-woman-hopes-to-bring-back-starry-sky-by-reducing-light-pollution/

Truckee, CA Launches Rebate Program for Responsible Lighting
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/town-of-truckee-urging-residents-to-embrace-the-night-launches-dark-skies-rebate-program/

Marathon, Fl Amends Lighting Ordinance for Trespass Rules
https://keysweekly.com/42/which-lights-are-legal-graphic-illustrates-new-ordinance-in-marathon/ 

Oak Hill Development Threatens DS Status
https://www.kxan.com/investigations/will-oak-hill-project-affect-nearby-dark-sky-community/

Edison County, NJ Sues Over Billboards
https://www.yahoo.com/news/edison-looking-crack-down-billboards-085217744.html

SC Beaches Ready for Turtle Nesting
https://original.newsbreak.com/@explore-beaufort-sc-1602564/3390301419606-sea-turtle-nesting-season-coming-soon-to-south-carolina-beaches

Toronto, ON Begins Lights Out Campaign
https://totimes.ca/city-launches-lights-out-toronto-campaign-to-protect-migratory-birds/

NV to Offer 'Dark Sky' License Plates
https://www.2news.com/news/local/nevadas-new-license-plate-celebrates-dark-skies-conservation/article_755dc4c4-f158-11ee-ad19-1765e6ee14a6.html

GMU Cancels Cricket Pitch Plans
https://www.gazetteleader.com/fairfax/sports/pullback-on-cricket-field-leaves-university-baseball-team-in-limbo-8528201

Connect with Restoring Darkness:
Instagram: @restoringdarkness
Twitter: restoringdrknss
Facebook: restoringdarkness
Linkedin: restoring-darkness
www.restoringdarkness.com

Chip works by the three “Rights” as in “doing the right thing.” The RIGHT amount of light, in the RIGHT location, and on for the RIGHT amount of time. Chip has used this term for decades to help guide his designs and installations from the time of incandescent through to the LED era and everything in between. Chip is also on board with sustainability and responsible outdoor light at night with indirect lighting, dimming, lower Kelvin temperatures, and just plain turning lights off. That’s how to get a softer groove. Chip Israel has been a lighting designer for over 39 years. In 1992, he founded LIGHTING DESIGN ALLIANCE, a full-service architectural lighting design firm, where he built a highly-select team of lighting design professionals who now serve a variety of clients worldwide. As Co-CEO and Founder, Chip works closely with the owner, design team, and manufacturers to ensure lighting systems are fully integrated with the architectural design and enhance the designer’s concepts. Chip is committed to promoting excellence in lighting design through education. As a leading industry spokesman, he has presented technical papers and educational seminars in over seventeen countries and lectured in dozens of universities. Lighting Design Alliance has also been recognized by winning over 300 National and International design awards, including multiple awards for sustainable lighting design. 

Highlights from this episode:
 - Federal Precedents
 - Dark Sky Week 2024
 - Digital Planning
 - International Dark Skies Programs

Sponsored by Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources:

March 23rd was Earth Hour
https://www.dogonews.com/2024/3/20/earth-hour-2024-shines-a-spotlight-on-the-health-of-our-planet

Dark Sky Week is April 2-8
https://lightedmag.com/darksky-international-celebrates-international-dark-sky-week-2024/

PLAN-B Endorses Light Pollution Manifesto
https://plan-b-project.eu/2024/03/13/plan-b-manifesto/

Royal Society: "Changing streetlighting schemes and the ecological availability of darkness"
https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rsif.2023.0555?fbclid=IwAR0T5WM9AYgSyVxqsekZVQylSfWUjmagUeauPI6kGaONKWRykoTJiDhKJGI

Blue-Yellow Opponency For Circadian Entrainment
https://www.lightnowblog.com/2024/03/alternative-circadian-theory-of-blue-yellow-opponency/

Radiotherapy Results Improve if Matched to Circadian Rhythm
https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/6/1/14

Meal Timing linked with Sleep Quality and Anxiety (in Young Adults) 
https://www.mdpi.com/2624-5175/6/1/11

Chronoworking Might Fix Your Sleep
https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-news/can-the-rise-of-chronoworking-help-fix-our-sleep

Urban Moths React to Light Pollution By Evolving Smaller Wings
https://www.newscientist.com/article/2421950-city-moths-may-have-evolved-smaller-wings-due-to-light-pollution/#Echobox=1710290216

Sleep Deprivation Alters Estrus Cycle (in Rats)
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-024-56392-9

Federal Court of Appeals: Lighting Bylaws Are Not Religious Discrimination
https://madison.com/news/local/crime-courts/edgewood-high-school-madison-lights-lawsuit/article_22c3938e-e2f7-11ee-9648-1f85f5ed5b8a.html

Gantrisch is Switzerland's First Dark Sky Park
https://darksky.org/news/gantrisch-becomes-first-international-dark-sky-park-in-switzerland/

Lake County, OR is the Largest Dark Sky Sanctuary
https://www.argusobserver.com/valley_life/southern-oregon-s-lake-county-outback-named-world-s-largest-dark-sky-sanctuary/article_9d09f210-dfbd-11ee-9fb0-0f98915c498b.html

Kaikoura, NZ Alters Lighting Rules 
https://www.stuff.co.nz/environment/350208724/tougher-lighting-rules-aim-protect-kaikouras-night-sky

Kūaotunu prepares plan for ‘Dark Sky’ status
https://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/national/kuaotunu-prepares-plan-for-dark-sky-status/

The Danish Island of Mandø becomes Denmark’s fourth International Dark Sky Place
https://darksky.org/news/the-danish-island-of-mando-becomes-denmarks-fourth-international-dark-sky-place/

Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust in NH Offers Lighting Assessments for Private Homes
https://www.sunjournal.com/2024/03/15/home-lighting-inventories-offered-to-further-rangeleys-dark-sky-certification/

St. Germain, WI Tables Lighting Ordinance Proposal Indefinitely
https://www.wxpr.org/politics-government/2024-03-12/st-germain-lighting-ordinance-tabled-indefinitely

Burnaby, BC Condo Tower Strobe Lights the Neighborhood
https://www.burnabynow.com/local-news/strobe-light-effect-runs-up-and-down-51-storey-burnaby-condo-tower-8473798

Dark Skies Presentation in Newburyport
https://www.newburyportnews.com/news/local_news/dark-skies-presentation-at-first-religious-society/article_1d0d3e56-dfa3-11ee-adbd-ab5af30bacba.html

Connect with Restoring Darkness:
Instagram: @restoringdarkness
Twitter: restoringdrknss
Facebook: restoringdarkness
Linkedin: restoring-darkness
www.restoringdarkness.com

Highlights from this episode:
 - DST and Health
 - An Official Statement
 - Prepping for Turtle Season
 - It’s Probably Not Aliens

Sponsored by Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle

Headlines and Sources can be found at https://restoringdarkness.com/

Yash recently discovered something astounding. Moths fly with their backs to a light because they think it’s the sky and they try to orient themselves to it. And then there’s all kinds of disorientation and trouble for them. Yash touches on the best light for moths in terms of nanometers and placement. You may think they’re just moths but they pollinate an enormous amount of our food. It’s time for the lighting industry to step up and tackle this problem. Yash Sondhi is a postdoctoral researcher working in the Kawahara Lab in the Florida Museum of Natural history. He obtained his PhD at Florida International University in Miami with Dr. Jamie Theobald, studying how moths and butterflies see the world, and specifically how moth eyes and brains adapted to function so well under dim light. He uses multiple techniques (genetics, animal behavior, neuroscience) to examine how different day and night flying insects’ senses (sight, hearing, smell) have evolved. As human civilization develops, artificial light is slowly eroding dark skies with disastrous consequences for animals, plants, and humans. As awareness increases that light pollution is harmful, understanding how different mitigation strategies work is crucial to implement change. Yash is thus studying how light can disorient and alter the circadian activity of insects, and testing strategies to mitigate light pollution. He also contributes to community science and insect biodiversity monitoring in India and Central America. 

Highlights from this episode:
 - Elegy for an Owl
 - ALAN and Allergies
 - State Lighting Regs
 - Wasatch Update

Sponsored by Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources:

ALAN Makes Allergies Worse
https://bmcmedicine.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12916-024-03291-5

UK Tax Laws Increased Light Pollution in Sub-Saharan Africa
https://phys.org/news/2024-02-tax-laws.html

Women Focus on Darkness in the Environment
https://www.fastcompany.com/91028055/heat-map-women-walking-alone-night-personal-safety-study

New Daylight Therapy for Parkinson's Patients
https://www.led-professional.com/all/revolutionary-daylight-therapy-study-offers-new-hope-for-parkinsons-patients-enhancing-sleep-and-circadian-rhythms

Sleep Health Linked with Mental Health
https://neurosciencenews.c om/sleep-circadian-rhythm-mental-health-25633/

Red Lighting Are Great for Wildlife But Present Issues for People
https://www.lightnowblog.com/2024/02/researchers-find-red-lights-outdoors-for-wildlife-protection-comes-with-potential-risks/

Circadian Clock Linked with Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 5
https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.02.08.579499v1

American Headlights Are More 'Blinding' Than International Counterparts 
https://abc7chicago.com/why-are-headlights-so-bright-car-adb-high-beam/14428185/

USDA Approves Bioluminescent Petunias for Sale
https://newsrnd.com/life/2024-02-16-let-there-be-light-%E2%80%93-from-next-year-you-will-be-able-to-buy-glowing-plants.SJGlNn7asa.html

NY Bird Safety Law Renamed After Popular Deceased Owl
https://www.townandcountrymag.com/society/politics/a46990141/new-york-flaco-the-owl-law/

NY Proposes Law on Non Essential Lighting after 11pm
https://www.nysenate.gov/legislation/bills/2021/S7663

IL May Pass "Responsible Outdoor Lighting Control Act"
https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:7165848982722727936/?updateEntityUrn=urn%3Ali%3Afs_updateV2%3A%28urn%3Ali%3Aactivity%3A7165848982722727936%2CFEED_DETAIL%2CEMPTY%2CDEFAULT%2Cfalse%29

Maryland Proposes Limits on Lighting at State-Run Facilities
https://engagifiiweb.com/maco/engagifii-detail/?billId=647003

Death Valley to Host Dark Sky Festival
https://news3lv.com/news/local/dark-sky-festival-sets-return-to-death-valley-national-park-nps-california-nevada-las-vegas-astronomical-society-astronomy-stars-planets

Copper Harbor, MI Hosts Dark Sky Festival
https://www.mlive.com/life/2024/02/up-dark-sky-festival-to-feature-stargazing-workshops-at-historic-keweenaw-lodge.html

St Germain, WI Extends Public Hearings on Proposed Lighting Ordinance 
https://www.wxpr.org/politics-government/2024-02-15/st-germain-extends-public-comment-period-on-outdoor-lighting-ordinance-proposal

West of England Metro Mayor Dan Norris Wants You to Turns Down the Lights
https://www.bathecho.co.uk/news/community/mayor-locals-businesses-switch-off-light-night-105326/

Chile Forms Volunteer Dark Skies Protection Brigade in Elqui Valley 
https://www.laprensalatina.com/chilean-skies-protected-from-light-pollution-by-the-guardians-of-darkness/

Save Wasatch Back Dark Skies Lawsuit Against Wasatch County Dismissed
https://www.kpcw.org/wasatch-county/2024-02-21/save-wasatch-back-dark-skies-lawsuit-against-county-dismissed
Hawnby, North Yorkshire Updates Lighting
https://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/24119160.hawnby-north-yorkshire-becomes-dark-skies-friendly/

ADSA Recognizes Raytec Fixtures
https://twitter.com/RaytecLED/status/1758158074156581342

DSI Names 4 More Dark Sky Accomodations 
https://biz.crast.net/worlds-first-five-official-dark-sky-resorts-revealed-in-utah-and-arizona/

Highlights from this episode:

• New Research
• Flying South
• NIMBYism
• Rules for Rules

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources can be found at RestoringDarkness.com

You might have seen Nathalie on episode 324 of the Get A Grip On Lighting podcast. We thought Nathalie’s commitment to good, responsible lighting made her a natural fit for this podcast as well. Nathalie pushes back on some of the ideas that have been talked about on Restoring Darkness. She is all for dark sky preserves, but she doesn’t expect to see a lot of stars from New York City. And as she points out, even if all the lights were out, the pollution and particulates in the air would probably still prevent you from seeing the night sky. Nathalie even inspired Michael to rethink some of his views. Nathalie Rozot, MIES, is the founder of PhoScope, a think tank on light. She is a New York-based phototect and the recipient of many prestigious awards, grants, fellowships and sponsorships, including a 2021 WIL Award for the global solar lighting initiative Light Reach. She has a strong track record of contributions to social and critical issues in lighting and to lighting and design education. These include international keynote presentations, speaking engagements and publications, as well as a part-time professorship at The New School, former engagements as senior thesis faculty in lighting design Masters programs, senior guest lecturer in landscape architecture Masters programs in Versailles and Lille, and education columnist for the IES’s publication LD+A. 

Highlights from this episode:

• Moths to a Flame
• 3 Year Missions
• DarkSky Recognition
• Backyard Updates

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources can be found at RestoringDarkness.com

If light is in a simulation, how does it know what is reality? Okay, obviously light isn’t self-aware. But Dr. Morrell and his team at University of Exeter in the U.K. are creating computational models that predict the characteristics of artificial light at night. These models can show everything from how street lights will affect animals, plants, and humans. It’ll show what the glare will be like on a particular road. But most importantly, it can demonstrate how to improve the lighting before spending one pound or dollar on a light fixture. Dr. Morrell is a postdoc researcher working between the Environment and Sustainability Institute and the Astrophysics group at the University of Exeter. He received his PhD in astrophysics from Exeter in 2020, where he researched techniques for measuring the properties of stars. Since then, he has been working on combining measurement techniques with computational models to predict the characteristics of artificial light at night at and just above ground level, in locations and at scales that humans and animals experience it. He is working to develop quantitative models to better predict the ecological impacts of our rapidly evolving urban lightscapes.

Connect with Dr. Morrell: Twitter - @smorrell Mastodon - @smorrell@mastodon.social LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sammorrell/ Personal website: https://sammorrell.co.uk/ Project website: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/research/esi/research/projects/artificial-light/ 

Highlights from this episode:
 - Lighting up the Court
 - Satellite Imaging
 - Tigers
 - Bridges

Sponsored by Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources:
Mark Baker and the Soft Lights Foundation Sue FDA
https://www.softlights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mark-Baker-vs.-FDA_filed.pdf

Major Variations in Street Light Dimming Functionality
https://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/ssl-impacts-010v-led-streetlights_dec2023.pdf

AIR and CAS Partner on Satellite Imaging to Track Light Pollution
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17538947.2023.2297013

AIMS Using Satellites to Track Hazards to Marine Life
https://phys.org/news/2024-01-potential-iconic-marine-wildlife.html

New Estimate; Low-Orbit Objects Will Soon Be Responsible for 10% of Sky Glow 
https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Datawatch/Satellite-glints-grow-in-night-skies

Jeju National University College of Medicine Finds that Bright Light at Night Doubles Risk of Eye Disease
https://www.newsdirectory3.com/bright-lights-at-night-the-double-risk-of-eye-disease/

Diabetic Mice Do Worse Under ALAN
https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2024.1323539/abstract

LED Headlights Are Getting Worse
https://www.ledsmagazine.com/specialty-ssl/article/14303722/uk-motoring-group-says-blinding-headlights-are-getting-worse

UK Gov to Investigate Headlight Brightness
https://lightaware.org/news/uk-government-acknowledge-issues-with-glaring-headlights?fbclid=IwAR3E1LC87-HKQtgZJq3zFpKneB72u82y6nNOzgUOy0UHHrPud2t6USoQqKI

Excess Lighting Ruins Your Garden
https://www.irishtimes.com/life-style/gardening/2024/01/13/tone-it-down-why-too-much-artificial-lighting-is-bad-for-your-garden/

Pench Tiger Reserve is India's First Dark Sky Park 
https://www.livemint.com/news/india/maharashtra-pench-tiger-reserve-becomes-indias-first-dark-sky-park-all-you-need-to-know-11705123164919.html

Lake Placid, NY Forms Dark Sky Committee
https://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/49090/20240115/making-skies-darker-in-lake-placid-and-the-adirondack-park

Truckee, CA Works on Dark Sky Initiative
https://www.sierrasun.com/news/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-stars-will-light-the-way/

Campbell River, BC Resident Ask for Nuisance Lighting Laws
https://www.campbellrivermirror.com/local-news/campbell-river-resident-calls-for-city-to-regulate-nuisance-lighting-7296211

Brightoners Ask for American Express Community Stadium to Turn down exterior lighting
http://stadiumdb.com/news/2024/01/england_brighton_residents_urge_club_to_turn_off_that_light

Aspen, CO passes Light trespass Ordinance
https://coloradosun.com/2024/01/26/aspen-goes-dark-with-a-new-ordinance-that-punishes-light-trespass/ 

Samuel De Champlain Bridge in QC adds 5,800 RGB Decorative Lamps without Bothering Wildlife
https://www.lightspeconline.com/projects/article/33014622/lighting-an-iconic-bridge-while-minimizing-environmental-impact

 Kansas City’s Bond Bridge Decorative Lights Are Out Over Maintenance Costs
https://www.yahoo.com/news/why-lights-kansas-city-bond-120000090.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9hcHAubWVsdHdhdGVyLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAPcMfu8Xb7cYSO8irSBg2XVVUZPQ39i4791pnBsDBLROxE0so_Lxq1NxhhwqWdFCDF3dEhlXre9edZsZYjwnp1b3X_Uhzx1oEefQW17LC3JyQYkzwRxwHdp0hjkn9TkgvwtcyTJpBb4FhCZWyRHe0FVcV1ATM-jl00eIequJG-W

LDS Motions to Join Heber Valley, UT as Co-Defendant in Zoning Fight 
https://ksltv.com/617416/church-of-jesus-christ-asks-to-intervene-in-lawsuit-against-heber-valley-utah-temple/

Musta Huone Drops Album in the Theme of Light Pollution
https://thequietus.com/articles/33751-musta-huone-interview

Peter comes to us from Casambi, so naturally this one is all about controls. Now don’t glaze over all you astronomers and astrotourists, this is important. This is how we get to restore our night sky and still have the light at night that we need. Peter tells Michael and Mark that he has been involved in a project where a developer actually WANTED to give street light control to the end-user - the people with homes on the street. Mark likes the idea that people who need brighter light can turn up a parking lot lamp temporarily that will then return to its dim state which is good for the people who are sensitive to bright LED lights. Could controls help us get it under control? Prior to his 20 year career of leading teams and driving revenue in the lighting manufacturing and controls industry, Peter worked in software. It was this distinctive blend of experiences that fueled his passion for harnessing technology for innovative problem-solving—a passion he now brings to Casambi. 

Highlights from this episode:
 - Certifying Campgrounds
 - A First for Wales
 - Darkness Events
 - A Bother in Bisei

Sponsored by Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle

Headlines and Sources
DSI Launches Approved Lodging Program
https://darksky.org/news/pack-your-bags-the-darksky-approved-lodging-program-is-now-live/

Jonestown, TX Recognized as a Dark Sky Community
https://darksky.org/news/jonestown-becomes-texass-ninth-international-dark-sky-community/

Presteigne and Norton are Wales' First Dark Sky Community
https://news.yahoo.com/powys-street-lights-off-wales-184206450.html

Dynamic Lighting in ICU Reduces Delirium Symptoms
https://medicaldialogues.in/critical-care/news/modified-icu-design-integrating-dynamic-lighting-system-may-reduce-delirium-severity-122743

National Institutes of Health Studies Finds Genome Associations in Sleep Latency in Fruit Flies
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50552-z#Sec7


Bordeaux Deputy Mayor: Your Fear of the Dark is on You
https://newsrnd.com/news/2024-01-11-turning-off-the-lights-at-night--%22this-black--it-freaks-me-out%22----one-year-on--mixed-results-in-bordeaux.SkeuOs7TOT.html

Cornelius, NC May Lift Ban on Year-Round String Lights
https://www.corneliustoday.com/light-news-day/

Davis, CA Debates Uplight for Trees
https://www.davisenterprise.com/news/city-seeks-community-feedback-on-downtown-tree-lighting-options/article_67982c54-a9a9-11ee-8bd3-63cf4f3fc78b.html

Tarup Dark Sky Fest Sets Date
https://www.kunstrumfyn.dk/about-trup-dark-sky

Powhatan State Park in VA Begins Saturday Under the Stars Program 
https://www.romulans.net/2024/01/10/marvel-at-the-night-sky-during-saturday-under-the-stars-at-powhatan-state-park-katelyn-harlow-wric-abc-8news/

Belfast Starlings Return to Murmurate, Despite Light Pollution Worries
https://twitter.com/BBCNewsNI/status/1744610357606322448

Bisei, Japan’s Bright Neighbors
https://arxiv.org/abs/2312.12812

More and more satellites are going to obstruct the view for astronomers, but as Jo Marchant points out, it will also affect the cultural, spiritual and psychological aspects for everyone when they don’t have a clear view of the stars. Jo explains, in her book, The Human Cosmos: Civilisation and the Stars, how it is evident from ancient cave drawings that early man used the stars to mark the passage of time. She argues that the invention of mechanical clocks meant that we no longer needed to look to the sun and stars to mark time. So take off your watch, put away your phone, cover your digital clock and just take in the majesty of the stars. Jo Marchant is a New York Times bestselling author and speaker. Her writing explores the nature of humanity and our universe, from the mind-body connection to the mysteries of past civilisations and the awesome power of the night sky. 

Highlights from this episode:

 - Debunk the Blue?
 - Protein Possibilities
 - DLC LUNA 1.0a
 -Rudolph’s Rhythms

Sponsored by Evluma
https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle

Diane has been to Mars. That is, she crewed the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah. It was there she turned her attention to Dark Sky advocacy. Diane is a lecturer in the Department of Physics at Carnegie Mellon University and the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Pittsburgh. Lucky for Pittsburgh, Diane is helping to guide the city’s street light conversion to LED by, among other things, convincing astronauts aboard the ISS to take photos of Pittsburgh before, during, and after the conversion. Diane Turnshek bonus fun fact: the Dung Beetle uses the light of the Milky way to roll its little ball of dung in a straight line. Diane has earned an International Dark Sky Association’s Defender Award. She has given over one hundred light pollution talks including one for TEDxPittsburgh, curated a series of space art galleries, and founded the Pennsylvania Chapter of the International Dark-Sky Association. In 2019, she edited the genre anthology Triangulation: Dark Skies with twenty-one starry night short stories. She has been interviewed by the New York Times, PBS News Hour, NPR Morning Edition, Canada One Radio, Chinese Global Television Network and 50 more news outlets. She hosted a Dark Skies Conference at CMU and is co-running the 9th International Artificial Light at Night Conference in Calgary, Canada in August of 2023. Her research focuses on measuring the light of cities with drones, aircraft, satellites and astronauts aboard the ISS. 

Highlights from this episode:

• Moths on the Run
• Birds on the Wing
• Lights on the Shard
• Trees in your House

In John’s case, bad lighting literally makes him sick. John has photophobia, which is a bit of a misnomer. He’s not afraid of light like someone is afraid of heights. Bright, artificial light gives him intense headaches, feelings of sickness and can bother his eyes so much that he can’t keep them open. Grade school was a challenge for him as he just couldn't concentrate. The next time you see a kid in school fidgeting and disrupting, consider how the lights might be impacting him. John is from Vancouver British Columbia, growing up there and in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and now lives in Davis, California. He has been a reservoir oil engineer and a water resources control engineer. He is retired and now writes and records music for film and TV. 

Light pollution is harmful. Buddy Stefanoff is working on it - to the tune of about 5 years ahead of anybody else. Buddy and Crossroads LED are conscious of light trespass, color temperature, and shielding and so, have taken their design and manufacturing to the next level. Buddy demonstrates to Michael and special guest host, Greg Ehrich, some of the thermal dissipating and zero glare designs. He just might be the only one doing this. Buddy Stefanoff is an entrepreneur, small business owner and the Vice President of Engineering for Crossroads LED. With over 20 plus years of experience and expertise in the development of advanced, LED based luminaires and dark-sky certified lighting platforms, Mr. Stefanoff is the driving force behind the company’s product line which has received numerous patents and awards, including the International Dark-Sky Association’s prestigious “Best Design and Technical Innovation Award”. Under Mr. Stefanoff’s direction and leadership, Crossroads LED has become the undisputed worldwide leader in the design and production of LED luminaires that reduce light pollution and sky glow. 

"Either write something worth reading or do something worth writing." --Benjamin Franklin We think we’ve covered both bases in this episode. Jacqueline has written something worth reading, and The Lighting & Darkness Foundation and The Soft Lights Foundation are doing something worth writing about - or at least talking about. Michael and his new co-host, Mark Baker, chat with Jacqueline about our innate fear of the dark and it’s value to humanity and the environment. Jacqueline Yallop is the author of three novels and four works of creative non-fiction. She is currently working on a collection of short stories. She lives in West Wales where she teaches creative writing at Aberystwyth University. Jacqueline is an award-winning author of fiction and creative non-fiction, described as a ‘writer of rare fine judgement and delicacy’. Her latest book, Into the Dark, is out in November 2023 (London: Icon Books): it looks at darkness in all its forms, in science, literature, art, philosophy and history. Her novel, Obedience (London: Atlantic) was nominated for the Man Booker Prize. Big Pig Little Pig (London: Figtree) a memoir, was Radio 4 Book of the Week. Her work has been translated into several languages. 

Highlights from this episode:

• Bridge Lighting Blocking Fish
• Sea Turtle Records
• Light Pollution Bylaws on the Rise
• And the Award Goes To…

High Pressure Sodium might be the best street lights for our rods and cones, but LED is here to stay, so we’re going to have to figure it out. Noah talks with Michael and Mark about reports, studies, and solutions. He gives us some very interesting facts about cone cells in our eyes under yellow light, and why military bases and astronomers use red light to illuminate at night. But cities have gone and are going to blue light LED’s at night, and no one wants to admit to this mistake. Noah Sabatier is a photographer and lighting researcher that is dedicated to advocating for better outdoor lighting. Noah has spent the past 5 years living with a night shift sleep schedule, during this time he realized that the streetlights in his city were far from optimal - and recent changes had only made them worse. He has spent the past 2 years extensively reviewing scientific literature and technical documents alongside others advocating for better lighting. Noah is now working to raise awareness of common misconceptions that lead to bad lighting and the better practices needed to solve this problem.

See some of Noah's work on The Soft Lights Foundation website: https://www.softlights.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/A-Multi-Field-Analysis-of-Street-Lighting-in-Grand-Rapids-Michigan.pdf

Highlights from the Darkness News are:
 - Updates From DarkSky International
 - Vision Charts
 - Highway Disco
 - Wasatch LDS Temple Update

This is John Barentine’s second appearance and we still haven’t exhausted the conversation. How do we solve the light pollution problem? John has some ideas. Use reason and science and, as is John’s mission, give people the transformational experience of the night sky. How do we help that happen? By implementing the existing knowledge and technology of the lighting industry that knows how to make that a reality NOW! John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in education and outreach efforts to help increase the public understanding of science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events. 

Jin joins us from North Carolina where he is, along with earning his Ph.D, doing his best to reduce - or eliminate - bird-window collisions. In fact window collisions are mostly a daytime problem. The night time problem is light at night. This draws birds in and they then collide with any part of a building, or they die from exhaustion, confused and circling the light. Come on humanity, we can do better! Jin Bai is a fourth-year Ph.D. candidate in the Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology program at NCSU and studies the drivers of urban bird diversity. He has extensive experience designing, coordinating, and assisting citizen science projects, including organizing the Triangle Bird Count. Jin co-founded City Bird with a mission of documenting bird-window collisions and advocating for bird-friendly college campuses in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Additionally, Jin is a board member of the New Hope Audubon Society, a local non-profit chapter of the National Audubon Society covering Orange, Durham, and Chatham counties of NC, dedicated to local bird conservation. 

From the first faint signals from Sputnik in 1957 to an estimated half a million satellites orbiting the earth in 2030 - yeah, we were shocked too! The effects on earth based astronomy could be devastating. And then there are all the things that can go wrong, like collisions and the build up of aluminum and other particles in the high atmosphere from burned-up satellites. On the bright side, there is growing cooperation from satellite companies, in mitigating the reflective properties of satellites. Dr Tregloan-Reed completed his Ph.D. in astronomy at the University of Keele, Staffordshire, UK and then went on to a two year postdoctoral research fellowship at NASA Ames Research center, California USA. In 2018, Dr Tregloan-Reed relocated to Northern Chile and his primary research is in exoplanets, specializing in exoplanets which orbit active host stars, to better understand how stellar activity can impact our ability to detect and characterize exoplanetary systems. Since the start of 2020 and after the launch of Darksat, SpaceX's first attempt to dim their satellites, Dr Tregloan-Reed has been leading an international network of telescopes in performing brightness measurements of satellite constellations such as Starlink, OneWeb, and Amazon Kuiper. This survey is collecting data to allow astronomers to develop mitigation software and to ascertain the impact of satellite constellations to the quality of the night sky and Astronomy. 

Highlights from the Darkness News are:

-       The Royal Society Publications this Month

-       LDS Project Updates

-       Virginia Observatories vs Private Residents

-       NASA’s Turtles

Mark Baker is back and he’s still advocating for people who experience the harmful effects of LED light. Mark tells us about some ongoing litigation involving car lots and nearby residents, and a successful one against a town in Minnesota. You’re going to see more of Mark here, as the Soft Lights Foundation and the Lighting & Darkness Foundation work together to tackle the problems of harmful LED’s. Mark Baker is the President of The Soft Light Foundation, a non-profit organization that advocates for the protection of people and the environment from the harms of visible radiation emitted by products that use Light Emitting Diodes. Mark is the primary author of a primer on the differences between a curved surface emitter and a flat surface emitter. His co-authors include subject matter experts in the fields of physics, engineering, medicine, and light pollution. 

Highlights from this episode:

• Some Recognition from Part of the Federal Government
• Leaves are Too Tough to Chew
• Circadian Rhythms, Meals, and Medicine
• Win Some / Lose Some at the State Level

Sponsored by Evluma

https://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

Headlines and Sources can be found at www.restoringdarkness.com

Watch this episode and you’ll feel the hope and positivity emanating from your screen from Aparna and John. Michael discusses, with Aparna and John, humanity’s lost connection with the sky, forgotten sky stories and traditions from many cultures, and even the lighting industry’s little corner of the climate change problem, which we could effectively tackle RIGHT NOW, if there was only the willpower to do so. Aparna and John haven’t lost hope. Aparna Venkatesan is an astronomer in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, and co-Director of the Tracy Seeley Center for Teaching Excellence, at the University of San Francisco. She works on studies of the first stars and quasars in the universe, and is also actively involved in projects in cultural astronomy and space policy. She currently serves as co-Chair of the American Astronomical Society's Committee to Protect Astronomy and the Space Environment (COMPASSE). Professor Venkatesan has been recognized internationally for her research and DEI leadership, featured widely in the media, and received numerous prizes and awards. She is deeply committed to increasing the retention of underrepresented groups in astronomy and STEM, and is active in developing scientific partnerships with Indigenous communities worldwide. Connect with Aparna: https://www.usfca.edu/faculty/aparna-venkatesan John Barentine is the Principal Consultant at Dark Sky Consulting, LLC, and was formerly the Director of Public Policy for the International Dark-Sky Association. He earned a Ph.D. in astronomy from the University of Texas at Austin, and previously held staff positions at the National Solar Observatory, Apache Point Observatory, and the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. Throughout his career, he has been involved in education and outreach efforts to help increase the public understanding of science. He is a member of the American Astronomical Society and the International Astronomical Union, and is a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society. The asteroid (14505) Barentine is named in his honor. His interests outside of astronomy and light pollution research include history, art and architecture, politics, law and current events. 

Highlights from the darkness news are:

-       Scientific Consensus

-       1000 Bird Strikes in One Night

-       Chile Restores Darkness

-       Light Pollution is Brain Pollution

Highlights from the darkness news are:

-       ALAN Linked with Breast Cancer

-       France Powers Ahead on Night Conservation

-       Border Protection Suspend Nature Protections

-       Blue-Filtering Lenses Not Recommended 

Hannah practices “place-based” research. Rather than finding international or national solutions, she advocates for small scale “place-based” solutions for local areas that will have their own challenges. As an astrophysicist, she is working to make the science understandable, accessible and more relevant. Michael brings up an interesting philosophical question that arises from that endeavor. Hannah Dalgleish is a knowledge exchange professional working in the academic and place-based policy engagement sphere. She has a PhD in astrophysics and has been involved in numerous projects related to astronomy for development, with a particular focus on dark skies and society, light pollution and policy, and science communication. She helps to coordinate the International Astronomical Youth Camp and is a former Trustee of the Royal Astronomical Society.