Recently, a research team from the University of Exeter in the UK found that in most parts of Europe, a new type of light pollution has become increasingly prominent with the increasing use of LED for outdoor lighting. In their paper published in the journal Progress in Science, the group described their research on photos taken from the International Space Station.

Previous studies have shown that artificial light in the natural environment can have adverse effects on wildlife and humans. For example, research has shown that both animals and humans experience disruption of sleep patterns, and many animals are confused by light at night, leading to a series of survival problems.

In this new study, officials from many countries have been advocating for the use of LED lighting in roads and parking areas, rather than traditional sodium bulb lighting. In order to gain a better understanding of the impact of this change, researchers obtained photos taken by astronauts on the International Space Station from 2012 to 2013 and 2014 to 2020. These photos provide a better range of light wavelengths than satellite images.

Through photos, researchers can see which regions in Europe have converted to LED flood light and to a large extent, LED lighting has been converted. They found that countries such as the UK, Italy, and Ireland have undergone significant changes, while other countries such as Austria, Germany, and Belgium have had almost no changes. Due to the different wavelengths of light emitted by LEDs compared to sodium bulbs, an increase in blue light emission can be clearly observed in areas that have been converted to LED lighting.

Researchers point out that they have found that blue light can interfere with the production of melatonin in humans and other animals, thereby disrupting sleep patterns. Therefore, an increase in blue light in LED lighting areas may have negative effects on the environment and people living and working in these areas. They suggest that officials should carefully study the impact of LED lighting before advancing new projects.