IIASA and the Austrian Academy of Sciences (OeAW) are co-hosting the public lecture "Sternenlos durch die Nacht" (Starless through the night) on the impacts of light pollution on the nocturnal biosphere. Please note that the lecture will be in German.
"Sternenlos durch die Nacht" will address the detrimental impact of artificial light on the natural night environment. Drawing from various fields such as astronomy, biology, ecology, physiology, and vision science, Christopher Kyba, researcher at the Ruhr University Bochum, will highlight the unsustainable consequences of current city lighting practices and offer possible solutions. Global light pollution has already caused significant damage to the night habitat, yet, despite the challenges, there is optimism that technological advancements could restore the starry night skies if society chooses to prioritize this change.
Program
Moderation: Viktor J. Bruckman | NMO Secretary of the Austrian IIASA Committee, Austrian Academy of Sciences
Welcome address
Christian Köberl | Austrian IIASA Committee Chair, Austrian Academy of Sciences
John Schellnhuber | Director General, IIASA
Public lecture and discussion
Christopher Kyba | Researcher, Ruhr University Bochum
Reception
There will be an opportunity for further discussions over drinks following the lecture.
© Ruhr University Bochum
Christopher Kyba is a physicist and has been researching artificial light in outdoor areas since 2009. He works with data from many different sources, ranging from satellite observations and aerial photography to camera photos of the sky and observations of stars with the human visual system. He regularly collaborates with researchers from other disciplines, particularly in the field of ecology. From 2012 to 2015 he was a member of the board of the International Dark-Sky Association and co-founded the conference series "Artificial Light at Night". In recent years, his research has been recognized with the Galileo Award from the IDA, the Leon Gaster Award from the Society of Light and Lighting and the Knowledge of the Many - Research Award for Citizen Science from Wissenschaft im Dialog and the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin. Christopher lives with his wife, two children and a very old cat in Bochum, Germany.
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