My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The cover describes the book being “On light pollution, night ecology, and the ancient rhythms that sustain life.” That’s a decent description of what this book is about. It was written by a Swedish scientist who specializes in ecology, bat vision, and light pollution. He is affiliated with Stockholm University.
The book begins with anecdotes from Eklöf’s years of work studying the night vision of bats. He talks about being out in the dark, with very little accompanying light, and the way the night changes both your vision and the way you think. He talks about his research into bats, birds, and insects, and how our human compunction to light up the night (for our benefit) hurts the wild creatures that depend on low or no light to live out their lives. There is some technical talk interspersed throughout, but nothing that is not easily understood by a non-scientist.
The best parts, though, are the anecdotes. Stories from his and others’ experiences living among the creatures of the night. He demystifies the darkness, something most people know very little about. He also takes some of the fear out of the dark, turning it instead into just another part of the cycle of life. He also points out the effect that increasing light pollution has on the natural world around us, a world already in peril from human interference. From insects who depend on bioluminescence to find mates (and are confused by street, house, and city lights left on at night), to bats unable to find enough insects to eat because the light keeps those night-flying insects from coming out, to migrating birds who fly mainly at night and are confused by brightly lit cities that throw them off their paths, to the effects that the constant barrage of light has on us (sleep disturbances, hormone imbalances, added stress), Eklöf makes a convincing argument for turning off the lights when the sun goes down.
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My latest published book:
“Crossed Wires and Other Very Short Stories”. Twelve scifi and twelve fantasy short stories that can each be read in minutes. Available now Amazon, Apple, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Smashwords, and most other e-book retailers. More information here
I have written science fiction, fantasy, and urban fantasy stories. There are novels, novellas, and shorter pieces to fit everyone’s reading time. There are even some free stories, both here on the site and in other places. You can go here to find out more about the books I have published. They are available at Amazon, Smashwords, and most ebook retailers. Thank You
And So On... 