Living with Light

Abstract

The day-night cycle of our rotating planet orchestrates the behaviors of nearly every living thing. For countless millions of years, it has determined the ebb and flow of life on Earth. Our distant ancestors acknowledged the importance of the Sun, Moon and stars in their lives by deifying them. Indeed, the 7 days of the week reflect the fact that there are seven bright objects in the sky (Sun, Moon and five naked-eye planets) that move against the starry background according to regular cycles and rhythms. The human species has recently succeeded in bringing its own light to the world: we long ago learned to harness and domesticate fire, and much more recently filled our homes and streets with artificial lighting. Is our new-found power to bring light to our darkness causing us to lose touch with some of the natural lights that have guided, comforted and inspired us throughout our history?