Who Speaks for the Night?

A California company wants to use orbital mirrors to reflect sunlight onto Earth after sunset. The idea could transform renewable energy and emergency response—but it also raises profound questions about wildlife, ecosystems, astronomy, and whether darkness is something worth protecting.

Earth Day and the Environmental Movement

On April 22, 1970, 20 million Americans demonstrated coast-to-coast to raise awareness for the ravages taking toll on the environment. Dubbing this day “Earth Day,” its founder, U.S. Senator Gaylord Nelson envisioned it as a “national teach-in on the environment.” April 22 is also the anniversary of the Humane Party’s public launch in 2009,