A streetlight right out in front of your house can make it easier to safely get in the door at night - but good luck trying to sleep without heavy curtains. That's just one example of how artificial light is useful in many aspects of our daily lives, but it is also a major problem.

Our world is illuminated by more artificial light than ever before. A recent US study found that artificial light emissions at night increased by about 16 percent globally from 2014 through 2022, according to research published in Nature.

Areas experiencing increased...