The widespread adoption of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) for public lighting, while offering significant energy savings, is contributing to light pollution and potentially harming human health. In cities like London, excessive and unshielded LED illumination creates glare, impedes vision, and disrupts natural circadian rhythms by suppressing melatonin production.

Despite LEDs' potential for precise control over color and intensity, their implementation often exacerbates existing problems. Lighting designer Simon Thorp notes that modern CCTV cameras function effectively in low light, yet harsh LED lighting hinders both human and digital vision. The technology, invented in 1962 by Nick Holonyak, has rapidly replaced older, less efficient lighting methods, with over half of U.S. streetlights being LEDs by 2019.

This shift, fueled by energy efficiency and lower maintenance costs, allows for programmable lighting that could adapt to the time of night or year. However, current practices often involve over-illumination, failing to harness LEDs' full potential to intelligently manage light levels and preserve darkness, ultimately squandering their benefits for both urban environments and the natural world.