Restoring Darkness
Restoring Darkness
NAILD
Michael Colligan is joined by experts, advocates, and professionals to discuss creating better quality night skies.
Episode 116: Darkness News Update with Scott Wachter Feb 1, 2024
Highlights from this episode: - Lighting up the Court - Satellite Imaging - Tigers - BridgesSponsored by Evlumahttps://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle Headlines and Sources:Mark Baker and the Soft Lights Foundation Sue FDAhttps://www.softlights.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Mark-Baker-vs.-FDA_filed.pdfMajor Variations in Street Light Dimming Functionalityhttps://www.energy.gov/sites/default/files/2024-01/ssl-impacts-010v-led-streetlights_dec2023.pdfAIR and CAS Partner on Satellite Imaging to Track Light Pollutionhttps://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17538947.2023.2297013AIMS Using Satellites to Track Hazards to Marine Lifehttps://phys.org/news/2024-01-potential-iconic-marine-wildlife.htmlNew Estimate; Low-Orbit Objects Will Soon Be Responsible for 10% of Sky Glow https://asia.nikkei.com/Spotlight/Datawatch/Satellite-glints-grow-in-night-skiesJeju National University College of Medicine Finds that Bright Light at Night Doubles Risk of Eye Diseasehttps://www.newsdirectory3.com/bright-lights-at-night-the-double-risk-of-eye-disease/Diabetic Mice Do Worse Under ALANhttps://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fphot.2024.1323539/abstractLED Headlights Are Getting Worsehttps://www.ledsmagazine.com/specialty-ssl/article/14303722/uk-motoring-group-says-blinding-headlights-are-getting-worseUK Gov to Investigate Headlight Brightnesshttps://lightaware.org/news/uk-government-acknowledge-issues-with-glaring-headlights?fbclid=IwAR3E1LC87-HKQtgZJq3zFpKneB72u82y6nNOzgUOy0UHHrPud2t6USoQqKIExcess Lighting Ruins Your Gardenhttps://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.htmlLake Placid, NY Forms Dark Sky Committeehttps://www.northcountrypublicradio.org/news/story/49090/20240115/making-skies-darker-in-lake-placid-and-the-adirondack-parkTruckee, CA Works on Dark Sky Initiativehttps://www.sierrasun.com/news/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-stars-will-light-the-way/Campbell River, BC Resident Ask for Nuisance Lighting Lawshttps://www.campbellrivermirror.com/local-news/campbell-river-resident-calls-for-city-to-regulate-nuisance-lighting-7296211Brightoners Ask for American Express Community Stadium to Turn down exterior lightinghttp://stadiumdb.com/news/2024/01/england_brighton_residents_urge_club_to_turn_off_that_lightAspen, CO passes Light trespass Ordinancehttps://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 Wildlifehttps://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 Costshttps://www.yahoo.com/news/why-lights-kansas-city-bond-120000090.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly9hcHAubWVsdHdhdGVyLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAAPcMfu8Xb7cYSO8irSBg2XVVUZPQ39i4791pnBsDBLROxE0so_Lxq1NxhhwqWdFCDF3dEhlXre9edZsZYjwnp1b3X_Uhzx1oEefQW17LC3JyQYkzwRxwHdp0hjkn9TkgvwtcyTJpBb4FhCZWyRHe0FVcV1ATM-jl00eIequJG-WLDS 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 Pollutionhttps://thequietus.com/articles/33751-musta-huone-interview
Feb 1, 2024
10 min
Episode 115: Get It Under Control with Peter Augusta
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. 
Jan 24, 2024
41 min
Episode 114: Darkness News Update with Scott Wachter Jan 16, 2024
Highlights from this episode: - Certifying Campgrounds - A First for Wales - Darkness Events - A Bother in BiseiSponsored by Evlumahttps://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/Intro and outro music by Doctor TurtleHeadlines and SourcesDSI Launches Approved Lodging Programhttps://darksky.org/news/pack-your-bags-the-darksky-approved-lodging-program-is-now-live/Jonestown, TX Recognized as a Dark Sky Communityhttps://darksky.org/news/jonestown-becomes-texass-ninth-international-dark-sky-community/Presteigne and Norton are Wales' First Dark Sky Communityhttps://news.yahoo.com/powys-street-lights-off-wales-184206450.htmlDynamic Lighting in ICU Reduces Delirium Symptomshttps://medicaldialogues.in/critical-care/news/modified-icu-design-integrating-dynamic-lighting-system-may-reduce-delirium-severity-122743National Institutes of Health Studies Finds Genome Associations in Sleep Latency in Fruit Flieshttps://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-023-50552-z#Sec7Bordeaux Deputy Mayor: Your Fear of the Dark is on Youhttps://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.htmlCornelius, NC May Lift Ban on Year-Round String Lightshttps://www.corneliustoday.com/light-news-day/Davis, CA Debates Uplight for Treeshttps://www.davisenterprise.com/news/city-seeks-community-feedback-on-downtown-tree-lighting-options/article_67982c54-a9a9-11ee-8bd3-63cf4f3fc78b.htmlTarup Dark Sky Fest Sets Datehttps://www.kunstrumfyn.dk/about-trup-dark-skyPowhatan 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 Worrieshttps://twitter.com/BBCNewsNI/status/1744610357606322448Bisei, Japan’s Bright Neighborshttps://arxiv.org/abs/2312.12812
Jan 16, 2024
7 min
Episode 113: Time Famine with Jo Marchant
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. 
Jan 10, 2024
56 min
Episode 112: Darkness News Update with Scott Wachter Jan 3, 2024
Highlights from this episode: - Debunk the Blue? - Protein Possibilities - DLC LUNA 1.0a -Rudolph’s RhythmsSponsored by Evlumahttps://evluma.com/dark-sky-friendly-lighting/Intro and outro music by Doctor Turtle
Jan 3, 2024
8 min
Episode 111: The Pittsburgh Street Light Conversion with Diane Turnshek
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. 
Dec 20, 2023
59 min
Episode 110: Darkness News Update with Scott Wachter Dec 19, 2023
Highlights from this episode:Moths on the RunBirds on the WingLights on the ShardTrees in your House
Dec 19, 2023
6 min
Episode 109: Outdoor Light at Night is at a Crossroads with Buddy Stefanoff
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. 
Dec 13, 2023
41 min
Episode 108: The Different Forms of Darkness with Jacqueline Yallop
"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. 
Dec 6, 2023
39 min
Episode 107: Darkness News Update with Scott Wachter Dec 5, 2023
Highlights from this episode:Bridge Lighting Blocking FishSea Turtle RecordsLight Pollution Bylaws on the RiseAnd the Award Goes To…
Dec 5, 2023
9 min
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