All the Light We Cannot See

Author:

Cleo Carney

Category:

What on Earth

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The Light We Carry ( On Amazon or On Bookshop )

“When we are able to recognize our own light, we become empowered to use it.” –Michelle Obama, The Light We Carry

Source: Thought Co.

Year Humphry Davy invented the first lightbulb: 1802

Source: Arcadia

Year people began documenting difficulty seeing the night sky in Paris and London: 1866

Source: Lightbulb Statistics

Number of standard lightbulbs currently in use worldwide: 8 billion

Source: National Park Service

Annual percentage increase in brightness in the average night sky from 2011–2022: 9.6

Source: Audubon Society

Percentage of migratory North American birds that travel at night: 70

Source: American Bird Conservancy

Number of migrating birds that die annually from collisions with buildings when they become disoriented by light pollution: ~1 billion

Source: NPR

Number of birds that died in October 2023 colliding with the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago due to building’s combination of glass and artificial light: ~1,000

Source: Environmental Literacy Council

Estimated number of sea turtles that die annually in Florida from light pollution: millions

Source: The Nation

Percentage of the world’s population that live under light-polluted skies: 80

Source: Arcadia

Published:

May 7, 2025

Last Modified:

May 7, 2025

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Cleo Carney

Cleo Carney has been writing and reporting for Bluedot since we began, and is now a co-host of Bluedot Living's new podcast, Imagine If. Cleo is a sophomore at Harvard University Harvard studying social studies with a minor in global health and public policy. Check out the podcast at bluedotliving.com/imagine-if-podcast.

All the Light We Cannot See

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