Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/1 Next image Previous image Toggle captionSkip to navigation A night-time view of Earth, derived from satellite images taken daily over the past decade, capturing human activity on the planet through the emissions of artificial light, is seen in this image released on 8 April 2026. Photograph: Michala Garrison/Nasa Earth Observatory/Reuters View image in fullscreen A night-time view of Earth, derived from satellite images taken daily over the past decade, capturing human activity on the planet through the emissions of artificial light, is seen in this image released on 8 April 2026. Photograph: Michala Garrison/Nasa Earth Observatory/Reuters Earth gets brighter every year but progression is volatile, study findsCovid, light pollution regulations and faltering global economy affect location and intensity of brightness Earth continues to get brighter every year, researchers have found, but the location and intensity of the progression has become increasingly volatile because of Covid-19, regulations on light pollution, and a faltering global economy.Nasa-funded researchers at the University of Connecticut (UConn) studied more than 1.1m satellite images taken over a nine-year period to establish that the planet’s artificial light increased by a net 16% between 2014 and 2022.The figure is in keeping with a 2017 study that found Earth’s artificially lit outdoor areas grew by 2% annually over the previous five years…
Published: April 18, 2026 5:45 pm
Source: The Guardian — Read original