Category: Podcast Episodes

143

In this explosive episode of Restoring Darkness, hosts Michael and Mark sit down with Scott Wachter of the Darkness News Update to expose the growing threat of hostile lighting. From AI-powered strobe systems that discriminate against shoppers to police flashers that may violate the ADA, we dive deep into how light is being misused as a tool of exclusion and control.

💥 Topics include:

  • Blue LED strobe systems and civil rights lawsuits
  • The “mosquito” speaker and sonic harassment
  • Hostile architecture and pink anti-teen lighting
  • Tow truck floodlights and the Mount Sinai safety study
  • India and China’s awakening to light pollution

👁️‍🗨️ Light isn’t just illumination—it’s information. And sometimes, it’s a weapon.
🎧 Tune in and join the fight to restore darkness and protect public space.

#LightPollution #CivilRights #HostileLighting #SoftLightsFoundation #DarknessNews #RestoringDarkness #ADA #TowTruckSafety #SurveillanceTech #LEDAbuse

Connect with Scott:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-wachter-5a3109113/

Lighting Industry News Brief

Darkness News Update

142

What if darkness wasn’t the absence of light—but a form of urban infrastructure? In this episode, we dive deep with Chiara Carucci, a transdisciplinary lighting designer who’s reshaping how cities think about nighttime. From moonlit forests in Sweden to bat-friendly corridors in urban parks, Chiara shares her vision for lighting that respects biodiversity, supports human well-being, and treats darkness as a civic asset—not a void.

 

💡 Topics Covered:
– How we use Artificial Light at Night (“ALAN”) has significant impacts
– The concept of “darkness acupuncture” and rewilding cities
– Ecosystem service value: putting a price on lost darkness
– How lighting design can heal, connect, and inspire
– Why stargazers aren’t the only stakeholders in the darkness movement

 

#LightingDesign #DarknessRestoration #ChiaraCarucci #UrbanEcology #RestoringDarkness #SoftLights #Podcast

 

Connect with Chiara:

https://noctua.life/

https://www.instagram.com/chiaracarucci/ or simply @chiaracarucci

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chiaracarucci/

141

In this eye-opening episode, advocate Leo Smith takes us on a journey through the hidden costs of artificial light. From battling LED glare to reshaping roadway illumination for autonomous vehicles, Leo reveals how policy, technology, and environmental justice intersect in the fight against light pollution.

🚦 Hear about:

  • The surprising dangers of over-lighting our streets
  • Legal battles and advocacy for smarter lighting laws
  • How connected cars could revolutionize nighttime visibility
  • Why preserving darkness is a public health and ecological imperative

🔦 Whether you’re a city planner, stargazer, or just tired of sleepless nights, this conversation will change the way you see light—and darkness.

#LightPollution #DarkSky #LeoSmith #EnvironmentalJustice #SmartCities #Podcast

Connect with Leo:

Reducelp.org

https://instagram.com/darkskyct?igshid=NGVhN2U2NjQ0Yg%3D%3D&utm_source=qr

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61550915213597&mibextid=LQQJ4d

https://twitter.com/DarkSkyCT

 

Sponsor: Tesla Induction Lighting Co., teslalightingco.com

140

In this eye-opening episode, we welcome Dr. Austin Roorda—visionary researcher, inventor, and professor—who takes us deep into the microscopic world of human vision. From mapping the trichromatic cone mosaic to pioneering adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, Dr. Roorda has revolutionized how we understand the eye.

👁️ Discover:

  • How stimulating a single cone can create surreal color experiences
  • The science behind light damage and flicker sensitivity
  • Why blue light might be more harmful than we think
  • The future of vision restoration and gene therapy
  • What it means to be a tetrachromat—and how it could unlock new colors

🌌 Plus, we explore the beauty of seeing in true darkness, the risks of over-illumination, and how lighting design might be impacting our health more than we realize.

#VisionScience #DrAustinRoorda #RestoringDarkness #LightingDesign #BlueLightHazards #Tetrachromacy #Optics #EyeHealth #DarkSky #SoftLights #Podcast

Connect with Dr. Roorda:

www.linkedin.com/in/austin-roorda-8527aa61

Bluesky: @roordalab.bsky.social

http://roorda.vision.berkeley.edu

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2025/04/23/new-color-what-is-olo/83229986007

 

Sponsor: Tesla Induction Lighting, teslalightingco.com

139

What if more light doesn’t mean more safety?

 

In this episode of Restoring Darkness, hosts Michael Colligan and Mark Baker sit down with Dr. Jim Uttley, lecturer in architectural science at the University of Sheffield and environmental psychologist, to uncover the surprising truth about street lighting, darkness, and human behavior.

 

🌌 Topics explored:

  • How lighting shapes our perception of safety vs. actual crime risk
  • Why darkness deters walking and cycling—and how minimal lighting can help
  • The debate over color temperature: warmer lights, wildlife, and circadian health
  • Evidence that too much light can backfire, creating glare and even increasing risks
  • The flawed science behind lighting standards and why cities often get it wrong

This is a deep dive into how light at night affects crime, travel, and our environment—and why rethinking “brighter is better” could change the way we design our streets.

 

🔗 Links to Dr. Uttley’s research:

 

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0324134

 

Variance in odds ratios for estimating the deterrent effect of darkness on cycling: Variation due to the choice of case and control hours

 

Variance in odds ratios for estimating the deterrent effect of darkness on cycling: Variation due to the choice of case and control hours https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0311964

 

Connect with Dr. Uttley:

Https://www.linkedin.com/in/jim-uttley-9542b194/

Https://www.sheffield.ac.uk/architecture/people/academic/jim-uttley

Http://lightingresearch.group.shef.ac.uk/index.html

138

In this captivating episode, Berlin-based visual artist and urban practitioner Alona Rodeh takes us deep into the heart of the nocturnal city. Known for her immersive installations and advocacy for darkness preservation, Rodeh shares her journey from theater scenography to public art, blending light, sound, and urban research.

 

🌃 Highlights Include:

  • 🔦 The paradox of safety and surveillance in overlit cities
  • 🚶‍♀️ Her meditative “night walks” through Berlin’s dimly lit parks
  • 🕯️ The primal connection between humans and firelight vs. the harshness of LED glare
  • 🏙️ Berlin’s unique lighting culture—gas lamps, sodium lights, and intentional dimness
  • 🎨 Her acclaimed Nightcaps project: sculptural interventions on street lamps to combat light pollution
  • 📱 A powerful critique of screen addiction and the fading peripheral awareness in urban life

 

💡 Rodeh’s insights challenge conventional beliefs about light and safety, inviting listeners to reimagine darkness not as danger, but as depth, freedom, and cultural richness.

 

🔗 Support the movement for darkness restoration at RestoringDarkness.com
📸 Explore Alona’s work at alonarodeh.com

Night Caps: https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=AE3TifPXkEhKpmY-sYhFTChDn9nQA5_vjw:1756143544359&udm=2&q=alona+rodeh+nightcaps#vhid=ikv-eIczcTmDOM&vssid=mosaic

 

Connect with Alona: https://www.instagram.com/alona_rodeh/

 

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

137

In this illuminating episode, Dr. Morgan Crump, a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Vermont, joins the Restoring Darkness podcast to discuss her groundbreaking work on light and noise pollution in U.S. national parks. From red streetlights in Grand Teton to quiet zones in Muir Woods, Dr. Crump shares how thoughtful design and visitor education can restore natural soundscapes and dark skies.

 

💡 Topics Covered:

  • The impact of anthropogenic light and noise on wildlife and visitor experience
  • Innovative lighting experiments using amber and red LEDs
  • Quiet zones and acoustic ecology in protected areas
  • Policy gaps and the need for broader public awareness
  • Personal stories from the field—including a bear encounter and a surprise Mamma Mia serenade in the Grand Canyon!

 

🚨 Bonus Segment: Mark Baker updates us on his crusade against overly bright auxiliary vehicle lights and the legal loopholes that allow them.

 

🌟 Whether you’re a park enthusiast, lighting designer, or just curious about how to preserve nature’s sensory beauty, this episode is packed with insights and inspiration.

 

🔗 Watch now and learn how small changes—like switching to red flashlights or turning off porch lights—can make a big difference.

 

#RestoringDarkness #MorganCrump #LightPollution #NoisePollution #NationalParks #DarkSky #AcousticEcology #EnvironmentalDesign #TeslaLighting #SoftLightsFoundation

 

Connect with Dr. Crump:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/morgan-crump-587a51222/

https://sites.psu.edu/parcsocialscienceacoustics/

 

Sponsor: Tesla Induction Lighting, www.teslalightingco.com

136

In this illuminating episode, we explore the hidden side of human history: the night. Dr. Nancy Gonlin, professor of anthropology at Bellevue College, joins us to discuss her pioneering work in the Archaeology of the Night. Learn how ancient cultures navigated darkness, how modern lighting is disrupting our biology and making us sick, and why night pollution (aka light pollution) is more than just a nuisance—it’s a threat to health, heritage, and humanity.

 

💡 Topics We Cover:

– The Anthropology of Night and its emerging academic recognition

– Light as a status symbol: From ancient torches to LED floodlights

– Health impacts of artificial light and the plight of those hypersensitive to LEDs

– Night pollution vs. light pollution—and why the distinction matters

– Cultural practices around sleeping, steaming, storytelling, and darkness

 

🔥 Plus, Mark Baker offers an update from the Soft Lights Foundation, sharing the latest efforts to reduce harmful lighting technologies in public spaces.

 

🔗 References & Resources:

Find Nancy’s books, including Archaeology of the Night, here: https://upcolorado.com/our-books/our-authors/item/264-nancy-gonlin-editor

 

In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki, Amazon: https://a.co/d/eGWT7rF,

 

Dark Futures, by Nick Dunn, Amazon: https://a.co/d/iFCta0H

 

How to Sleep Like a Caveman, by Merijn van de Laar, Amazon: https://a.co/d/0pQVMLv

 

#RestoringDarkness #LightPollution #ArchaeologyOfNight #NancyGonlin #Anthropology #SoftLights #DarkSky #NightStudies #SleepHealth

135

In this illuminating episode of the Restoring Darkness podcast, hosts Michael Colligan and Mark Baker welcome outdoor lighting designer James Solecki—founder of INTEGRA Bespoke Lighting and Island Villa Lighting. From stage lighting gigs as a teen to award-winning installations across Ontario and the Caribbean, James has carved out a unique legacy in environmentally-conscious lighting design.

 

🎙️ What You’ll Hear In This Episode:

– How James’ passion for light sparked a 25+ year career

– A firsthand account of defending dark skies in cottage country

– The balance between outdoor beauty, safety, and environmental responsibility

– How education—not regulation—can transform communities

– The evolution of lighting from incandescent to LED to… induction?

– Lively debates on whether lighting really increases property security

 

💡 Whether you’re a lighting professional, an environmental advocate, or just light-curious, this episode is packed with insight, philosophy, and practical wisdom.

 

🌓 Let’s keep chipping away at the light pollution problem—one community, one light, one night at a time.

 

#RestoringDarkness #LightingDesign #DarkSky #JamesSolecki #OutdoorLighting #SoftLightsFoundation #LightPollution #LEDLighting #InductionLighting #EnvironmentalLighting

 

Connect with James: www.islandvillalighting.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-solecki-ba05729/

134

In this compelling episode, we sit down with Eileen Kragie, founder of Dark Sky Friends and passionate advocate for DarkSky International, to explore the urgent issue of light pollution and how it’s transforming our night skies. Eileen shares how her lifelong awareness of light trespass evolved into a full-scale movement for legislative reform and community action. From securing state and local proclamations to educating the public at events like the Wolf Trap National Park’s Bat and Firefly Festival and National Book Festival, she’s rallying support to protect our starry skies and the health of both humans and wildlife.

 

The conversation digs into:

✨ The surprising health impacts of artificial light at night

✨ Problems with over-lit homes and the era of “darkness pollution”

✨ The role of LED technology and utility companies in exacerbating the issue

✨ Creative ways communities and individuals can embrace responsible lighting

✨ Why lighting designers must rethink their approach With insights from co-hosts Mark Baker and Michael Colligan, this episode challenges assumptions, sparks critical questions, and celebrates the growing movement toward night preservation.

 

📢 Want to support Eileen’s mission? Visit darkskyfriends.org

 

Connect with Eileen:

https://bio.site/eileenkragie

https://www.darkskyfriends.org/

https://www.darkskynova.org/

https://www.linkedin.com/in/taooflila

https://x.com/chandi31216

https://www.instagram.com/darkskyfriends

https://www.facebook.com/darkskyfriends

https://www.youtube.com/@darkskyfriends685

 

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