Eric Scigliano discusses the effects of artificial light. In 1880 when the first town was lit up, witnesses reported:

“The strange, weird light, exceeded in power only by the sun, rendered the square as light as midday.”

“Men fell on their knees, groans were uttered at the sight, and many were dumb with amazement. We contemplated the new wonder of science as lightning brought down from the heavens.”

I’ve never thought of light as a pollutant before. I always thought of it as a natural part of life, but I was surprised to see the photomosaic of the earth and how much light we produce. Two-thirds of the world’s population can no longer see the milky way.