Light Pollution Enlightenment Trivia Quiz

Answer: excessive artificial light in the night sky

Light pollution can be seen in most developed cities. It is an orange haze of light over cities and is caused by the amount of artificial lights left on at night. These lights can be seen from space. It's more than just an eyesore, though. Light pollution has many negative affects on both humans and animals.

Answer: lights that are not contained

Light fixtures that do not have proper coverings, or are unshielded altogether, allow light to escape upwards when it should be focused down where it is actually used. Unshielded lights cause glare and let light go beyond where it is needed, like into the sky. If many light fixture designs were rethought, light pollution could be reduced.

Answer: True

Light pollution makes it nearly impossible to see stars in major cities. The farther away you go from cities and towns, the brighter the stars appear. In really dark places, like national parks and areas with a low population, the Milky Way galaxy can be seen best.

Answer: use lights that turn on with a motion sensor

Security lights that turn on with a motion sensor still do the job of deterring trespassers and potential criminals while also reducing light pollution by not keeping the security lights on all night. Using these types of lights would also save energy, and money, from being wasted.

Answer: our body's 24-hour biological cycle

Circadian rhythms are a series of processes our bodies go through each day. Some of the things controlled by these rhythms include metabolism, hormones, and blood pressure. The circadian rhythms restart at night when it is dark. However, when it is not dark enough, such as when light pollution is present, some of the processes are disrupted, causing possible health issues.

Answer: breast cancer

There have been studies that show women who live in cities where it is possible to read outside at midnight are more likely to develop breast cancer than those who live where it is darker. Women who work the "graveyard" shift and are under lights throughout the night also have a higher chance of having breast cancer.

This may be linked to the disrupted circadian rhythms, especially the production of the hormone melatonin. This hormone, which is produced in darkness, helps to keep breast cancer from growing.

When it is not dark enough, the production of the hormone is reduced.

Answer: True

Sleep can also be affected by light pollution. Sleep disorders such as insomnia and sleep-phase syndrome can be caused by it. Insomnia is the inability to fall asleep. Sleep-phase syndrome is when people fall asleep late and have trouble waking up on time in the morning.

Answer: decreased amount of food

When there is an excess of light, it is harder for animals to hide from their predators. Many animals are also disorientated by lights and are drawn to them, like insects around a porch light. Some animals, like birds, are known to breed earlier than usual, as well.

Answer: nesting spots

Sea turtles are unable to lay their eggs if they do not find a beach that is dark enough for them. Even when they are able to lay their eggs, they are often drawn in by the lights of nearby cities where they are hit by cars. Usually, the light of the moon reflecting off the ocean leads them back home, but this does not happen because of light pollution.

Many species of sea turtles are endangered.

Answer: They are drawn into cities where they fly into buildings

Light pollution affects the behavior of migratory birds in a couple of ways. They start their migrations sooner, and so they mate sooner, too. They are also drawn into cities where many fly into buildings. This can cause the birds to injure themselves, or even to die.