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This timely and captivating look at the hidden impact of light
pollution is "rich in revelation and insight...lyrical" (The Wall
Street Journal) and urges us to cherish natural darkness for the
sake of the environment, our own well-being, and all life on earth.
How much light is too much light? Satellite pictures show our
planet as a brightly glowing orb, and in our era of constant
illumination, light pollution has become a major issue. The world's
flora and fauna have evolved to operate in the natural cycle of day
and night. But in the last 150 years, we have extended our day--and
in doing so have forced out the inhabitants of the night and
disrupted the circadian rhythms necessary to sustain all living
things, including ourselves. In this "well-researched and
surprisingly lyrical" (The New Statesman, UK) book, Swedish
conservationist Johan Eklöf urges us to appreciate natural
darkness, its creatures, and its unique benefits. He ponders the
beauties of the night sky, traces the errant paths of light-drunk
moths and the swift dives of keen-eyed owls, and shows us the
bioluminescent creatures of the deepest oceans. As a devoted friend
of the night, Eklöf reveals the startling domino effect of
diminishing darkness: insects, dumbfounded by streetlamps, failing
to reproduce; birds blinded and bewildered by artificial lights;
and 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 like chronic stress and depression. The streetlamps,
floodlights, and neon signs of cities are altering entire
ecosystems, and scientists are only just beginning to understand
their long-term effects. The light bulb--long the symbol of
progress and development--needs to be turned off.
"Urgent...vivid...eye-opening" (Publishers Weekly), and ultimately
encouraging, The Darkness Manifesto outlines simple steps that we
can take to benefit ourselves and the planet. In order to ensure a
bright future, we must embrace the darkness.
**A FINANCIAL TIMES BOOK OF THE YEAR 2022** 'Powerful... a clarion
call for change', New Statesman 'Poetic and philosophical at times,
intimate and expansive at others', Daily Telegraph 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.
Johan Ekloef encourages us to appreciate natural darkness and its
unique benefits. He also 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.
And humans can find that our hormones, weight and mental well-being
are all impacted. 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
The Darkness Manifesto urges us to cherish darkness for the sake of
the environment, our own wellbeing, and all life on earth. Entire
ecosystems rely on natural darkness to flourish, from bats and
keen-eyed owls capering across the starry sky to the bioluminescent
creatures of the deep. But constant illumination has made light
pollution a major threat. By extending our day, humans have
disrupted the circadian rhythms necessary to sustain all living
things. The Darkness Manifesto lifts night's veil to reveal the
domino effect of damage we inflict by keeping the lights on:
insects failing to reproduce, plants left unpollinated, countless
hunting and migratory patterns eroded. Eye-opening and ultimately
encouraging, this book offers simple steps that can benefit
ourselves and the planet. 'Powerful ... A clarion call for change'
New Statesman 'A pleasure to read ... A paean of praise for natural
darkness' Financial Times, Book of the Year 'A must-read for all
who have an interest in the health of our planet' Russell Foster,
author of Life Time
"Full of brilliant insights . . . an inspiring book" Stylist
Christmas Gift Guide 2022 "It's all the encouragement you need to
dip a toe in icy waters" Woman & Home "Packed with stunning
photography" Red Magazine "A perfect gift" My Weekly A beautifully
illustrated exploration of cold-water traditions in Scandinavia and
around the world, and a factual, scientific account of why winter
swimming gives such a boost to body and soul. Whether in lake,
lido, river or sea, we know the benefits of swimming outdoors and
in nature - environmentally friendly and accessible, it can
influence our happiness, our energy and our inner tranquility, and
give us that winter glow. Danish scientist Dr Susanna Soberg leads
us step by step into the icy water and explains the "cold-shock
response", the massive endorphin rush as our body reacts and adapts
to very cold temperatures through the winter season. Not only do
our circulation, heart, lungs and skin respond positively, but our
immune system, metabolism and mental health too. In particular she
explains how our "brown fat" is activated to benefit multiple
health conditions. "Take an uplifting dip into Winter Swimming"
Stylist's "Ultra List" Winter swimming is fast becoming one of our
most popular pastimes. This beautifully illustrated exploration of
cold-water traditions in Scandinavia and around the world shows how
it can have a significant positive impact on our physical and
mental health, confidence and well-being, providing such a boost to
body and soul. "A blend of how, and why, and what . . . A beautiful
celebration . . . Visual inspiration for anyone hovering on the
edge" Sunday Independent Translated from the Danish by Elizabeth
DeNoma
~THE INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER~ A deep-dive into the astonishing
nature and true science of longevity Molecular Biologist Nicklas
Brendborg takes us on a journey from the farthest reaches of the
globe to the most cutting-edge research to explore everything the
natural world and science have to offer on the mystery of aging.
From the centuries-old Greenland shark and backwards-aging
jellyfish to the man who fasted for a year and the woman who
successfully edited her own DNA, this book follows the thread of
every experiment, story, and myth in the search for immortality.
With mind-bending discoveries and physiological gifts that feel
closer to magic than reality, Jellyfish Age Backwards will reshape
everything you thought you knew about aging - and offer nature's
secrets to unlocking your own longevity.
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 Ekloef 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.
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