The Darkness Manifesto

How light pollution threatens the ancient rhythms of life

De: Johan Eklöf, Elizabeth DeNoma - translator

Narrado por: Owen Findlay

Brought to you by Penguin.

How much light is too much light? The Darkness Manifesto urges us to cherish natural darkness for the sake of the environment, our own wellbeing, and all life on earth.

The world's flora and fauna have evolved to operate in the natural cycle of day and night. But constant illumination has made light pollution a major issue. From space, our planet glows brightly, 24/7. By extending our day, we have forced out the inhabitants of the night and disrupted the circadian rhythms necessary to sustain all living things. Our cities' streetlamps and neon signs are altering entire ecosystems.

As a devoted friend of the night, Johan Eklöf encourages us to appreciate natural darkness, its creatures, and its unique benefits. He ponders the beauties of the night sky, traces the paths of light-drunk moths and the dives of keen-eyed owls, and shows us the bioluminescent creatures of the deep oceans. He writes passionately about the domino effect of damage we inflict by keeping the lights on: insects failing to reproduce; birds blinded and bewildered; bats starving as they wait in vain for insects that only come out in the dark. For humans, light-induced sleep disturbances impact our hormones and weight, and can contribute to mental health problems.

Eye-opening and ultimately encouraging, The Darkness Manifesto offers simple steps that can benefit ourselves and the planet.

The light bulb - long the symbol of progress - needs to be turned off. To ensure a bright future, we must embrace the darkness.

© Johan Eklöf 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Reseñas de la Crítica

Poetic and philosophical at times, intimate and expansive at others

Superb... takes us on an exciting journey through multiple and fascinating areas of nocturnal biology... A critically important must-read for all who have an interest in the health of our planet

A powerful contribution to our understanding of the harm we're causing, and a clarion call for change

Absolutely wonderful, full of graceful insight and gentle persuasion (Chris Goodall, author of What We Need to Do Now)

I never knew the night could be this fascinating or that there was so much I wanted to know about it. Highly recommendable read

An urgent and erudite hymn to the night, composed by a scientist with the soul of a poet

A scintillating read by a conservationist of true literary flair

A sophisticated exploration of the unintended consequences of artificial light on human society and the health of our planet, The Darkness Manifesto blends science with lyrical prose to draw attention to the immense importance of the night-time to all living organisms

Accessible, fascinating, and stimulating [...] acts as a siren call for anyone who is concerned about the affect of humanity on our environment. The Darkness Manifesto opens eyes, hearts, and minds to beauty of darkness, and the importance of its continued existence

Powerful ... Eklöf [shows] it is time for us to re-embrace darkness, both for nature's sake and our own