Title |
Artificially lit surface of Earth at night increasing in radiance and extent
|
---|---|
Published in |
Science Advances, November 2017
|
DOI | 10.1126/sciadv.1701528 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Christopher C. M. Kyba, Theres Kuester, Alejandro Sánchez de Miguel, Kimberly Baugh, Andreas Jechow, Franz Hölker, Jonathan Bennie, Christopher D. Elvidge, Kevin J. Gaston, Luis Guanter |
Abstract |
A central aim of the "lighting revolution" (the transition to solid-state lighting technology) is decreased energy consumption. This could be undermined by a rebound effect of increased use in response to lowered cost of light. We use the first-ever calibrated satellite radiometer designed for night lights to show that from 2012 to 2016, Earth's artificially lit outdoor area grew by 2.2% per year, with a total radiance growth of 1.8% per year. Continuously lit areas brightened at a rate of 2.2% per year. Large differences in national growth rates were observed, with lighting remaining stable or decreasing in only a few countries. These data are not consistent with global scale energy reductions but rather indicate increased light pollution, with corresponding negative consequences for flora, fauna, and human well-being. |
X Demographics
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Japan | 123 | 14% |
United States | 81 | 9% |
United Kingdom | 52 | 6% |
Canada | 47 | 5% |
Spain | 37 | 4% |
Germany | 27 | 3% |
France | 11 | 1% |
Australia | 9 | 1% |
Italy | 9 | 1% |
Other | 74 | 8% |
Unknown | 422 | 47% |
Demographic breakdown
Type | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Members of the public | 767 | 86% |
Scientists | 93 | 10% |
Science communicators (journalists, bloggers, editors) | 21 | 2% |
Practitioners (doctors, other healthcare professionals) | 11 | 1% |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Unknown | 557 | 100% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 77 | 14% |
Researcher | 76 | 14% |
Student > Master | 73 | 13% |
Student > Bachelor | 69 | 12% |
Other | 27 | 5% |
Other | 75 | 13% |
Unknown | 160 | 29% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Agricultural and Biological Sciences | 100 | 18% |
Environmental Science | 91 | 16% |
Earth and Planetary Sciences | 30 | 5% |
Engineering | 29 | 5% |
Physics and Astronomy | 14 | 3% |
Other | 94 | 17% |
Unknown | 199 | 36% |