Maps such as the one below has long been representative of man’s progress, human advancement and civilization.
With artificial light has come an ability to work through the evening, read and study, and socially interact. Now, the eco-nutters are saying this isn’t such a good thing.
From the ERL
An international conference at the University of Haifa has called attention to the dangers of exposure to light at night.
“The most important thing for us is to raise awareness of the dangers of artificial light at night and we have already come a long way now that the American Medical Association (AMA) recently announced its new policy recognizing adverse health effects of exposure to light at night and encouraging further research into the matter,” said Prof. Abraham Haim, a leading authority on light pollution, who coordinated the 21st International Congress of Zoology (ICZ) that was held last week at the University of Haifa, Israel.
The panel of world experts discussed “Light Pollution and its Ecophysiological Consequences” and shed new light on the extent of the dangers and harm that night-time artificial lighting causes, emphasizing that it is the short wavelength illumination that we have come to know as “eco-friendly illumination” that is causing the most harm (primarily LED lighting). ……
Prof. Haim presented one of his studies showing the adverse effects of exposure to light at night – particularly short wavelength blue LED – in the blind mole rat.…….
Yes, the blind mole rat. So now LEDs are bad. When you think of the rabid advocacy to the eco-nuts and where we were just a few short years ago and where we are now, none of their idiocy is coherent with the exception of one thing. These nutters hate human achievement and advancement.
On the plus side a few weeks ago I saw a solar-LED garden light advertised for 99c. Even the poorest Africans will be able to light their houses at this price, leaving one out during the day and bringing it in at night. What econutters do to us is counteracted by innovators the world over.
Mushrooming by eco-governments, though, is spreading.
Well, that explains the sudden about face on LEDs. They hate it when 3rd world people can advance.
Blacks in Africa descended from those who defiantly resisted slave trade capture. Only those in the Americas descend from generations of those least likely to resist authoritarian rule.
Interesting thought, though I’m not sure. Could it be some of the ones there were descended from some engaged in slave trade?
Some Africans did descend from those who resisted capture and sale as slaves. Some participated in capturing other Africans and selling them into slavery. Interestingly, Most of the slave trade went to South American and the Caribbean Islands, because those populations were not able to maintain themselves. Black slaves in the US were able to ‘be fruitful and multiply’ particularly after the importation of slaves was outlawed by the Original Constitution.
Thanks cd, for articulating what I left unstated.
It’s interesting that you should mention the solar-LED garden light. I bought four of them at a sale for one dollar each. I put them in my research trailer and do exactly that – set them out during the day to charge and use them at night for low level lighting. They actually put out a lot of light for their small size. They’re going on three years old and still work great. I figure when the batteries in them finally give out, I’ll spend another four dollars and get some more.
You’re heartless towards the blind mole rat!!!!
In defense of my wayward ways, I make the claim that this article is yet another example of how public grant money encourages scientists to make a career studying frivolous nonsense and making mountains out of mole rat hills.
Yes, I guess I am heartless because I have no plans to stop using my LED solar garden lights. In fact, if I discover any mole rats living in my yard I’m going to buy one of those solar powered mole stakes and really upset them. LOL.
But, shouldn’t these be career ending studies as opposed to people making careers out of such nonsense?
You would think so but we live in a time now where BS passes as science, post normal science promotes pseudo-science, and the eco nuts thrive by consuming it all, spewing a hatred for humanity.
I wish science could get back to the days when scientists like Edison were entrepreneurs and made a living on the practical merits of their work and would have starved doing studies on the impact of light on blind rats that live underground.
I wish so, too.
Likewise, Hank, likewise. When I was a kid all I wanted to be was a scientist, it was one of those yearnings. Not entirely logical, but it was a dream. This was the time of the moon landings, which we watched live in class.
Now I’ve been a scientist thirty years and sadly I don’t want to work in science any more. Its so corrupted. But there are still great things coming out, like the LED lights and GM golden rice, which do true good in the world. So there is stuff to be happy about. But when I see idiots who denigrate LED’s based on mad studies like this, or vandalise GM test plots, or oppose nuclear research for ideological reasons I just despair.
Bruce, it seems we grew up in the same era. I too remember watching the moon landing in class in complete awe. Like yourself I’m a scientist, partly drawn by the really grand achievements at that time. While I still find much fulfillment in my work, I do have to admit that I am becoming increasingly shocked with what passes for science these days.
So when I first started reading, I figured that maybe this was a possibility, but that LEDs would not be a culprit since they’re such a high-quality light source. After finishing the read and seeing the LED bashing, I’m a total disbeliever of the above.
Should we start calling these light therapy or seasonal affective disorder deniers?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Light_therapy
-Scott
Lol, nice one! These people are just unbelievable!
I just can’t see LEDs being a problem…they’re such a stable (i.e. low-flicker) source without any significant UV output. They also don’t get hot, so volatilized compounds from the surface of the light also aren’t an issue. The only better light might be the sun, but considering it’s too bright of a point source and has significant UV output, the sun can do some serious damage.
Any long-term health effects from general lighting at night would have been found by the 1950s (or much earlier) in my opinion. It seems that the only health-related problems from light amounts (other than too much UV causing cancer or blindness) are from too little of it.
-Scott
IDK Scott, there could be a correlation between those who study such things and poor mental health.
The blind mole rat is a subterranean animal.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blind_mole_rat
OF COURSE it is not adapted to light. Why should it? It’s BLIND and doesn’t install lighting in its tunnels.
Next up: Enviro-Psychologist discusses vertigo in earthworms.
Right, but I’m curious about the mechanism that makes the LED light worse than the traditional night lighting.
Well, that explains the better health and longer life span of people that live in areas with little artificial light at night, such as North Korea and Sub Saharan Africa!
Yes,……. or something. 😀
Well, it certainly FEELS like a longer life in those locations.