Saving the Night: How Light Pollution Is Harming Life on Earth

Light pollution threatens the survival of every living species on our planet, including people.

It started when Thomas Edison invented the first light bulb more than 150 years ago. Then, as electric light became more common, light pollution began to take over cities and towns. Today, in urban centers all over the world, the stars in the sky aren't visible. Millions of people have never seen the Milky Way. In Saving the Night, we discover how plants and animals have adapted over millions of years to survive and thrive in the dark, and how artificial light can upset the balance of entire ecosystems. But there are ways we can take back the night for animals, plants and us. It starts with the flick of a switch.

Stephen Aitken is a biologist, author and artist of over 30 books, both fiction and non-fiction, for young readers. He is passionate about the conservation of all life on Earth, the wonders of the plant and animal kingdoms and fostering respect for the natural world in young readers. Stephen is the co-founder and Executive Secretary of Biodiversity Conservancy International, a Canadian charity based in Ottawa that restores degraded habitats, develops and conducts education programs and supports biodiversity research. He is the Editorial Director of Biodiversity, a peer-reviewed science journal. He lives in Ottawa.