Episode 131 – News - Darkness News Update with Scott Wachter May 1st, 2025


Highlights from this episode:

  • Dark Sky Week!
  • Hospital Design
  • Migration Season
  • Policy Engagement

 

Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle 

 

Sponsored by The National Association of Innovative Lighting Distributors visit https://naild.org/

 

Headlines and Sources:

 

New Study Calls for Reduction in ICU Brightness

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-96728-7

 

Norwegian Study Recommends Limiting Blue Wavelength in Psych Wards

https://edisonreport.com/2025/04/23/blue-blocked-light-benefits-psychiatric-patients/

 

Childhood Light Pollution Exposure Linked with Thyroid Cancer

https://bioengineer.org/early-childhood-exposure-to-air-and-light-pollution-associated-with-higher-pediatric-thyroid-cancer-risk/#google_vignette

 

Circadian Disruption Makes You a Worse Gambler

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-97370-z

 

Night Owls Deal with Depression at Higher Rates

https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/other/study-finds-night-owls-have-higher-risk-of-depression/ar-AA1CLxgt

 

Circadian Disruption Linked with Binge-Eating in Mice

https://jcircadianrhythms.com/articles/10.5334/jcr.238

 

Circadian Alignment Improves Muscle Growth in Atlantic Salmon

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1134/S1062360425700079 

 

German Researchers Find Link Between Metabolism and Sleep in Fruit Flies

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41593-025-01942-1

 

Light Pollution Linked with Blooms in Toxic Algae

https://www.newscientist.com/article/2477090-artificial-light-pollution-could-fuel-growth-of-toxic-algal-blooms/

 

Sea Turtle Populations Bouncing Back

https://apnews.com/article/endangered-sea-turtles-d0aa2a519cbfc06c3f9f10ad11e8e4b6

 

Marco Island, FL Hosts Turtle Safety Open House

https://www.coastalbreezenews.com/lifestyles/environment/marco-hosts-successful-sea-turtle-open-house/article_f4789f8c-675b-4c17-aa6c-c189f75c597e.html

As did Sarasota, FL

https://www.abcactionnews.com/news/region-sarasota-manatee/sea-turtle-nesting-season-approaches-advocates-call-for-community-support

 

Light out for the birds:

In Toronto
https://torontosun.com/news/local-news/torontos-lights-out-campaign-begins-to-protect-migratory-birds-from-building-collisions

and in Frisco, CO

https://www.summitdaily.com/news/town-of-frisco-to-host-bird-migration-event-as-part-of-dark-sky-programming/

In Louisiana 

https://claiborneparishjournal.com/2025/04/23/lights-out-louisiana-statewide-initiative-aims-to-protect-migratory-birds-during-peak-migration-season/

In NY from the State Department of Environmental Conservation

https://hudsonvalleypost.com/new-yorkers-urged-to-turn-out-the-lights-might-save-lives/

 

Last week was dark sky week
https://idsw.darksky.org/
Some notable local efforts:

UAE Residents Encouraged to Take Dark Sky Week Pledge 

https://gulfnews.com/uae/science/uae-residents-urged-to-take-dark-sky-week-pledge-1.500103041

And in MI

https://www.clickondetroit.com/news/local/2025/04/24/dark-sky-week-in-michigan-best-places-parks-to-see-stars-planets/

And in WI 

https://www.piercecountyjournal.news/stories/gov-evers-supports-international-dark-sky-week-in-wisconsin,132260

And in OR 

https://www.klcc.org/environment/2025-04-21/central-oregon-celebrates-dark-sky-week

 

Stockholm, Sweden Forms New Nature Reserve for Bats

https://www.newsminimalist.com/articles/stockholm-protects-bats-establishes-new-nature-reserve-833b09bb

 

Flagstaff, AZ Residents Push Back on Proposed LDS Temple

https://www.change.org/p/prevent-the-construction-of-mormon-temple-protecting-flagstaff-s-dark-sky-designation

 

Las Vegas, NV Takes LDS Temple Proposal to State Supreme Court

https://the-globe.info/2025/04/19/las-vegas-neighbors-sign-attraction-to-nevada-supreme-court-docket-in-lds-temple-go-well-with/

 

Fairview, TX Reaches Compromise with LDS

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/fairview-texas-lds-temple-latter-day-saints-zoning-approval/287-0c94cad9-5b1d-4fe0-bcad-88cc369c5da2

 

Oak Creek, WI Residents Push Back on Proposed Buc-ees 120-Pump Station

https://www.cbs58.com/news/neighbors-challenging-proposed-buc-ees-in-oak-creek-cite-traffic-light-pollution

 

Palo Alto, CA Moves Forward on Lighting Ordinance

https://stanforddaily.com/2025/04/22/palo-alto-city-council-member-proposes-dark-sky-ordinance/

 

Big Bend, TX’ New Lighting Ordinances Are Working

https://www.kut.org/texasstandard/2025-04-21/dark-sky-week-big-bend-mcdonald-observatory-texas

 

Malaysian Mall Parking Lot Lighting Floods Neighborhood

https://www.msn.com/en-us/money/technology/frustrated-shopper-captures-disturbing-photo-of-led-billboard-flooding-the-parking-lot-this-can-t-be-legal/ar-AA1D0n8g

 

Starlink is Leaking Electromagnetic Signals

https://arxiv.org/abs/2504.10032

 

Germany Launches Starlink Competitor

https://www.space.com/space-exploration/satellites/germanys-military-wants-its-own-starlink-like-satellite-constellation

 

Teton County, WY Recognized as a Dark Sky Community

https://darksky.org/news/teton-county-wy-becomes-the-worlds-first-county-certified-as-an-international-dark-sky-community/

 

Diamond Mountain, AZ Certified by DarkSky Under Lodging Program

https://darksky.org/news/diamond-mountain-retreat-center-earns-darksky-approved-lodging-certification/

 

ULUM Moab Approved as a  DarkSky Approved Lodging Site

https://darksky.org/news/ulum-moab-officially-certified-darksky-approved-by-darksky-international/

 

Kestrel Nest EcoHut the First DarkSky Lodging in Australia

https://darksky.org/news/kestrel-nest-ecohut-becomes-first-international-darksky-approved-lodge-in-australia/

 

Université Sainte-Anne Track and Soccer Field is the First DarkSky Sport Lighting Project Outside US

https://darksky.org/news/university-track-and-soccer-field-in-nova-scotia-becomes-first-darksky-approved-outdoor-sports-lighting-project-outside-the-united-states/

 

Not Sponsored: Cree Rolls Out 1900K LED with Only 2% Blue Spectra

https://www.led-professional.com/all/lighting-that-respects-life-at-night-cree-lighting-and-lumileds-collaborate-on-1900k-50cri-low-blue-outdoor-lighting-solution