Timelapse Of Millions Of Pics Taken Every Night For 9 Years Show Changes In Humans' Night-Time Activity From Space

NASA has released a timelapse video showing how humans' night-time activity has changed over the course of past nine years. The footage captures human activity of Earth through the emissions of our planet's artificial night-time lights from 2014 to 2022.

The finding comes from analyzing 1.16 million NASA satellite images taken every night for nine years. Analysing the pictures, NASA said, “Earth isn’t just getting brighter - some areas are brightening and others are dimming because of changes in nighttime lights.”

It added, "The findings show intense flaring over major oil and gas fields in the United States, while factors such as rural electrification and energy conservation are changing how billions around the world experience the night."

In this map, gold areas indicate brighter nighttime lights and purple areas indicate dimmer nighttime lights. White areas show a mix of brightening and dimming.

The study team, led by Tian Li and Zhe Zhu at the University of Connecticut, used a new algorithm to analyze 1.16 million satellite images collected at approximately 1:30 a.m. every day for nine years by the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS). The refrigerator-size sensors, orbiting Earth at over 16,000 mph, can resolve light sources down to the scale of a toll booth on a dark highway, NASA said.

According to the analysis, global radiance increased by 34% over the period of nine years.

In the US, satellite imagery revealed intense gas flaring over oil fields in Texas's Permian Basin and North Dakota's Bakken Formation, where excess methane is burned off at wellheads. Europe showed significant dimming: France by 33%, the UK by 22%, the Netherlands by 21%, driven largely by a policy-mandated switch from sodium streetlights to directional LEDs.

European nights also dimmed sharply in 2022 following the Russia-Ukraine conflict, which triggered a regional energy crisis and forced conservation measures across the continent.

China and northern India grew significantly brighter, driven by rapid urban development and expanding electrification across both countries.

WATCH

Also Read- Rare Comet C/2025 R3 (PanSTARRS) to Light Up Indian Skies Before Departing Solar System Forever, When and Where to Watch