Light pollution is getting worse globally, according to a study of artificial light published in Nature last month. The story, however, is a complicated one, because that global increase hides a more nuanced tale of regional volatility in nighttime illumination. Here’s the bare details: from 2014 to 2022, Earth’s nighttime radiance increased 34 percent, as measured by a network of three satellites. At the same time, dimming offset this increase by 18%. In other words, while many areas got brighter, a significant number got dimmer. The study, pulled together by a team of more than 20 researchers, suggests that Earth’s nighttime lighting is dynamic, with frequent and sporadic changes rather than a steady march towards greater illumination. Of the areas which saw a change in illumination, 51% of those changes were gradual – the kind you might expect from a growing population, for example.…