Among the types of contamination that exist we have one that cannot be directly touched or analyzed. It's about light pollution. This light pollution is the alteration of the levels of natural light that are produced by the sources of artificial light that we humans have. In order to classify and analyze the impacts that this pollution has on the rest of living beings and natural ecosystems, the light pollution maps.
In this article, we are going to explain what light pollution maps are and what they do.
What is light pollution
Light pollution is the alteration in the amount of light available in a given location that is inconsistent with the natural light produced. In other words, humans use artificial lighting to navigate at night in cities. The excessive urbanization we have experienced in the last century is causing an excess of artificial lighting that affects other living beings and the landscape.
Surely you have ever heard astronomers speak that observing the night sky is difficult due to this light pollution. Animal species with nocturnal habits are also affected by this artificial lighting. Species such as fireflies, which are increasingly rare throughout the planet.
A team of scientists has published a map of light pollution from around the world that reveals the impact that artificial lighting has around the world. Approximately 83% of the world's population and more than 99% of developed countries live under skies contaminated by artificial light.
Across Europe we have such powerful light pollution that more than 60% of the population cannot see the Milky Way. In our country, we also have great light pollution that causes less than 4% of the population to live in areas with low artificial lighting.
Impacts of light pollution
We are going to analyze below the different impacts that light pollution causes both on the health of humans and other living beings.
Light scattering to the sky
It is a phenomenon in which light is deflected in all directions due to their interaction with the rest of the molecules in the air and the pollutant particles in suspension. This immediate consequence is what we can see how the typical luminous halo that covers cities and that is visible from hundreds of kilometers from a distance. We can also see the clouds glowing as if they were fluorescent.
Light intrusion and glare
Light scatter occurs when light is emitted in a direction where it can invade other neighboring areas. This occurs frequently in urban areas where artificial light is introduced into private homes. This causes a loss of quality of life since, although the impact on humans is not fully identified, it is known to cause sleep disturbances. If you'd like to learn more about the effects of pollution on health, you can read the article on how a map shows the polluted air we breathe.
Glare occurs when people are on public roads and your visibility is hampered or impossible by the effect of light emitted by the different artificial installations. This is being seen in large part by over-lighting roads thinking that road safety is increased. However, drivers tend to go faster on brighter sections as they can see better.
Effects on biodiversity
The rest of living beings are also affected by excess artificial light. The nocturnal flora and fauna have a different biological activity than the one that acts during the day. This indiscriminate lighting on the beaches is an attack on marine life. For example, this Artificial light alters the rise and fall cycles of marine plankton. It also affects the reproductive cycles of sea turtles, because they are guided by moonlight and confused by streetlights. A very interesting aspect is the impact that light pollution has on the behavior of birds and other nocturnal animals.
Birds, for their part, are also dazzled and disoriented by excessive artificial light. The impact is so great that many species lose their way completely, and others search for food much later than usual, ending up with empty stomachs. All of these impacts upset the balance between different populations and tend to collapse. Insects are also altered by nocturnal habits, and the presence of light sources disrupts their natural day-night cycle.
Destruction of the celestial landscape
Let's not forget that the urban sky has a gray and orange hue that completely destroys the nightscape. We can't see the stars in the sky, which are the heritage of all generations and important in the origin of culture and civilization. This leads to an impoverishment of culture Since many of the legends linked to the celestial bodies and the knowledge of their position in relation to the time of year we are in are lost. Just looking at the sky is very complicated, a phenomenon that is related to the growing interest in the northern lights.
Maps of light pollution and its importance
There are light pollution maps that show the impact of this lighting worldwide. The brightness shown on the maps is the result of the combination of different satellite images and many measurements. It can be perfectly observed in the most urbanized areas since they are those where there is more artificial lighting. One of the areas of the world that attracts the most attention is the stream of light that exists around the river Nile. These are all the urbanizations and villages that have developed their way of life around the Nile River.
Various colors are used to designate the level of light pollution that exists. Those in yellow cannot clearly see the night sky, while those in the red areas cannot see the Milky Way. According to some studies more than a third of the entire world's population cannot see our galaxy. To better understand the situation, you can consult the article on Meteor showers and their relationship with light pollution.
I hope that with this information you can learn more about light pollution maps and the impact it has on biodiversity and human beings.
