sunshine mirror

Viganella's problem is that it was built at the bottom of a very steep-sided Alpine valley, right up against the Swiss border.

The southern side of the valley is so sheer that on 11 November the sun disappears and does not reappear until 2 February.

Not one ray of sunlight falls on Viganella in the weeks in between.
"It's like Siberia," one woman said - and remember this is Italy.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4413580.stm

Lighting risk to premature babies

Tests showed exposing baby mice to constant light keeps the master biological clock in their brains from developing properly.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4799445.stm

Does Lighting Harm Trees?

Understanding tree response depends on the type of lamps used and the spectrum of radiation emitted, the intensity of that radiation, and the role of light in certain biological processes.

http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/FNR/FNR-FAQ-17.pdf

Outdoor Lighting and Crime: Is There a Connection?

Many people who have not had occasion to investigate the matter tend to assume that where crime is a concern, “the more light, the better”!

But the research that has been done to date has provided no reliable evidence that this so.

http://www.selene-ny.org/downloads/lightingandcrime.pdf

Lighting is still in the Dark Age

Light pollution is not just a waste of money, argues astronomer Darren Baskill in this week's Green Room. He says badly designed lighting is also having an impact on the environment and our health, as well as denying millions of people the right to enjoy the beauty of the night sky.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4794249.stm

Earth at Night