At the edge of the day
The silk of the sky thickens,
sewn by invisible hands.
A silver cloak unfolds,
pressing down
on humming roofs
with the slow creak
of forgotten things.
Somewhere below
The stone swimmers drift along
Through the endless darkness,
Becoming beyond reach
and rest
and time.
A network of stellar threads tightens –
light weavers weaving nets
Above the empty hands
That invisible movement
Through shaded fields.
The bones of the day lie restless,
ringing distant songs
Among the burning flames
facsimile of the night.
This poem is inspired by Recent researchwhich has discovered that excessive light pollution can increase the risk of Alzheimer's.
Alzheimer's disease has become increasingly common, partly because people are living longer, but environmental factors are also thought to contribute to its development. One environmental factor that is gaining attention is exposure to artificial light at night. As modern life becomes brighter, there is growing concern that constant exposure to outdoor light at night may affect our health, particularly in relation to neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease.
This study investigated the relationship between outdoor nighttime light and the prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in the United States by analyzing satellite data on light intensity and Medicare medical records. The study found that higher levels of nighttime light exposure were associated with higher rates of Alzheimer’s disease. While other health conditions, such as atrial fibrillation, diabetes, and high blood pressure, had a stronger connection to Alzheimer’s, nighttime light was a more significant factor than conditions such as alcohol abuse or depression. Notably, for people under 65, nighttime light exposure had a stronger association with Alzheimer’s disease than any other health factor. These findings suggest a possible link between nighttime light exposure and the rising number of Alzheimer’s cases, and highlight the need for further research on this topic.
