"The planet's artificial light increased by a net 16% between 2014 and 2022, with some areas dimming to offset a 34% overall rise in global radiance."
"Europe dimmed significantly due to efficiency regulations, while Venezuela lost more than 26% of its night-time light due to economic collapse."
"Lockdowns, a slowdown in industrial activity, and reduced tourism caused by the coronavirus pandemic impacted light levels in many areas during the early years of the decade."
"Zhe Zhu stated that what satellites reveal about our nights is a dynamic portrait of a species reshaping its environment in real time, building, destroying, conserving, and collapsing."
Researchers found that Earth's artificial light increased by 16% from 2014 to 2022, with significant regional variations. Europe dimmed due to efficiency regulations, while Venezuela's light decreased by over 26% due to economic collapse. The COVID-19 pandemic and the Ukraine-Russia war also influenced light levels. The study analyzed over 1.1 million satellite images, revealing a complex picture of global light changes, indicating that the world is not simply getting brighter but is experiencing fluctuations in brightness.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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