I went to get an oil change and due to other repairs needed, I was left at the shop for an hour. A National Geographic article kept my attention. It spoke about the increase in light pollution and that most of the country and the world is in a permanent twilight. Even hundreds of miles outside of a major city, the glow blocks out most of the stars.
Then as we put our son to sleep, my wife sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star." When she sang, "how I wonder what you are" I wondered if he will be able to look up into the sky and wonder as well what is up there. Will he be more in awe of the lights of the city than the lights of the stars?
For all of human history we have looked to the skies and wondered. Now we are left with our eyes straight ahead. Will the stars still inspire or will we be inspired by what we see on a screen?
1 comment:
They will still be there. I think in the next few decades, as part of the green revolution (or by necessity as we go through resource depletion) there will be a move to try to keep the night sky free of light pollution as much as possible.
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