Why Is Denmark Turning Its Roads Red at Night?
Drivers entering Gladsaxe just outside Copenhagen were met with an unusual sight earlier this year A section of Frederiksborgvej usually illuminated by standard white streetlights suddenly appeared drenched in an eerie deep red glow For many it looked like something out of a science-fiction film But this wasn t an art installation a festival display or a publicity stunt The glowing red road is actually part of one of Europe s most fascinating environmental experiments a bold attempt to solve an invisible nighttime crisis caused by urban lighting and at the centre of the story are bats The Hidden Problem Humans Rarely NoticeCities around the world are getting brighter every year Streetlights billboards LED displays and floodlights now illuminate urban areas long after sunset While this helps visibility and safety for humans scientists say excessive artificial light is quietly disrupting ecosystems This phenomenon is known as light pollution For humans