Two bills could help you get a better view of the stars

WBZ NewsRadio
Wednesday, February 5, 2020

Tim Brothers helps promote dark skies bills, which have benefits for the health of humans and ecosystems, as well as benefit astronomers.

"The identical bills being proposed in the State House and Senate would 'promote energy efficient lighting, conserve energy, regulate outdoor night lighting, and reduce light pollution,'" reports WBZ NewsRadio.

The effort is being led by the Massachusetts chapter of the International Dark Sky Association. The group's Vice President, Tim Brothers, is also manager of MIT's Wallace Astrophysical Observatory.

Brothers told WBZ NewsRadio's Chris Fama that excessive light doesn't just get in the way of astronomical research; it has also been proven to be a credible threat to human health, especially blue-rich lights and LEDs.

"Doctors and scientists have linked [Blue Light] to everything from obesity, colon cancer, breast cancer, prostate cancer, anxiety, sleep disorders, and the list goes on and on," said Brothers.

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Story Image: Light pollution affects viewing of the night sky, as well as causing other issues. (Credit: Jeremy Stanley, CC 2.0)