The Darkness Manifesto

This is the first book about the science and natural history of darknessHow much light is too much light? Satellite pictures show our planet as a brightly glowing orb. In our era of 24/7 illumination, an excess of light is a pressing problem. Just about every creature on earth, humans included, operates according to the circadian rhythm. The world's flora and fauna have evolved to operate in the natural cycle of day and night, but in 2021, light pollution has become a major issue. Swedes have always had to deal with extremes of light and dark, thanks to the short winter days and bright summer nights- but these days there are few corners of the world that don't have their own artificial "white nights."This well-researched book challenges our instinctual fear of the dark and urges us to cherish the darkness, its creatures, and its unique beauties. Ekl f ponders the beauties of the night sky, traces the errant paths of light-drunk moths and the swift dives of keen-eyed owls. He explains the echolocation of bats and shrews and shows us the bioluminescent creatures of the deepest oceans.Johan Ekl f has a doctorate in zoology and is one of the world's preeminent bat experts. He lives in the west of Sweden, where he works as a conservationist and copywriter. As a devoted friend of the night, in THE DARKNESS MANIFESTO, he writes urgently and personally about the damage we inflict on ourselves and our fellow creatures simply by keeping the lights on. He depicts in the domino effect of diminishing darkness- insects dumbfounded by streetlights failing to reproduce, birds blinded and bewildered by lights, bats starving as they wait in vain for food insects that only come out in the dark of night, and humans growing ever more stressed and obese from light-induced sleep disturbances.The light bulb - for a long time the very symbol of progress and development - needs to be turned off. There is still hope for nocturnal life. Perhaps the next generation will be able to gaze out into the starry sky the same way mankind did before the discovery of electricity. Carpe diem? Carpe noctem!

“Absolutely wonderful , full of graceful insight and gentle persuasion”

Poetic and philosophical at times, intimate and expansive at others Daily Telegraph
Superb... takes us on an exciting journey through multiple and fascinating areas of nocturnal biology... A critically important must-read for all who have an interest in the health of our planet Russell Foster, author of Life Time
A powerful contribution to our understanding of the harm we're causing, and a clarion call for change New Statesman
Absolutely wonderful, full of graceful insight and gentle persuasion -- Chris Goodall, author of What We Need to Do Now
I never knew the night could be this fascinating or that there was so much I wanted to know about it. Highly recommendable read Nicklas Brendborg, author of Jellyfish Age Backwards
An urgent and erudite hymn to the night, composed by a scientist with the soul of a poet Chloe Aridjis, author of Book of Clouds
A scintillating read by a conservationist of true literary flair Rebecca Giggs, award-winning author of Fathoms
A sophisticated exploration of the unintended consequences of artificial light on human society and the health of our planet, The Darkness Manifesto blends science with lyrical prose to draw attention to the immense importance of the night-time to all living organisms Waterstones' Best Popular Science Books of 2022
Accessible, fascinating, and stimulating [...] acts as a siren call for anyone who is concerned about the affect of humanity on our environment. The Darkness Manifesto opens eyes, hearts, and minds to beauty of darkness, and the importance of its continued existence LoveReading.co.uk
Powerful ... Eklöf [shows] it is time for us to re-embrace darkness, both for nature's sake and our own iNews
Eklöf underlines that only a fraction of outdoor artificial light benefits us... It is time for us all to re-embrace darkness, both for nature's sake and our own Scotsman
A pleasure to read [and] a paean of praise for natural darkness in its own right Financial Times Best Books of 2022: Science
Eklöf lays out the psychology, philosophy and politics behind the spread of illumination. Embracing the darkness isn't going to be easy ... Thankfully, Eklöf's last chapter is a manifesto of actionable points to befriend darkness [and] do our bit to try to save this spottily, but still too brightly, lit planet New Scientist
Eklöf expresses his fears with cogent clarity in The Darkness Manifesto ... [and] takes his argument around the world [with] a style that is sometimes elegiac and often urgent ... the world needs to accelerate its embrace of darkness. To quote Eklöf's concluding phrase, carpe noctem Financial Times
Johan Eklöf's book is a chilling account of the nemesis that is gathering pace and fury... building a compelling case against our colonial expansion into the trashing of the night Literary Review
This book...show[s] how vital the darkness is to so many creatures and plants... its message is clear and stirring - the dark is necessary and we continue to dilute it at the Earth's peril Geographical
An expansive and philosophical examination of our relationship with light and darkness... Eklöf weaves a gentle tapestry of reflective Nature writing combined with fierce, science-backed passion... powerful Resurgence & Ecologist
At once rousing and poetic, this illuminating manifesto is full of precisely the kind of pocketable scientific titbits that will keep you reading well after your bedside light should have been switched off Guardian

Johan Eklöf (Author)
Johan Eklöf, PhD, is a Swedish bat scientist and writer, most known for his work on microbat vision and more recently, light pollution. He lives in the west of Sweden, where he works as a conservationist and copywriter.

Johan has studied bats for almost twenty years and now has his own consultancy company, hired by authorities, wind companies, municipalities, city planners and environmental organizations as an expert on bats, night ecology, and nature-friendly lighting. The Darkness Manifesto is his first book to be translated into English.

Elizabeth DeNoma (Translator)
Dr. Elizabeth DeNoma is a literary translator from Scandinavian languages, as well as a developmental editor and publishing consultant specialising in international literature. In addition to The Darkness Manifesto, her recent translations include Jellyfish Age Backwards by Nicklas Brendborg and Winter Swimming by Susanna Søberg.

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