We’re forgetting what darkness feels like

Portland residents experience constant street-light glare, so the author’s trip to a 2.5-million-acre International Dark Sky Place in southeast Oregon revealed a sky with Venus, Vega, Ursa Major, Milky Way, and two shooting stars. Light pollution is increasing 10% annually, affecting 80% of people, disrupting wildlife navigation, pollination, and human circadian rhythms. Dark-sky regulations, such as Flagstaff’s 1958 rules and New York’s proposed Act, aim to limit brightness, direction, and number of outdoor lights.