Picture walking outside on a dark, cloudless evening. You look up to admire the stars 鈥� maybe even a planet, if you鈥檙e lucky 鈥� and a sense of wonder washes of you. New research from the 91探花 shows this might be more than a memorable experience: It could ultimately spark scientific curiosity and influence life choices.
, research scientist the 91探花Institute for Learning and Brain Sciences (I-LABS), and , co-director of I-LABS and professor of psychology, recently showing a link between the ability to see the stars unblocked by light pollution and an interest in astronomy.
91探花News spoke with the authors about their study and its surprising implications for broadening access to science and education.
Where did the idea for this study come from?
Rodolfo Cortes Barragan: As psychologists, we know that changes to the environment can impact people鈥檚 behavior. Yet, the changes brought upon by light pollution 鈥� a hot topic in astronomy, biology and environmental science 鈥� have received little attention from the social sciences. We considered it important to examine how light pollution might affect the human mind, focusing on the consequences of light pollution for human emotions and scientific behavior.
Andrew Meltzoff: Astronomy often functions as a 鈥済ateway鈥� to science as a whole. People, including young children, look up and are enchanted by seeing the starry night sky. They feel a sense of wonder which triggers curiosity about themselves and the universe. Many famous astronomers have remarked that they got their start in science based on childhood experiences of wondering about the night sky. We decided to study these reports scientifically.
How do you define the feeling of wonder about the universe?
RCB: The feeling of 鈥渨onder鈥� is a particular conjunction of emotions. It involves awe and amazement. It involves curiosity 鈥� the desire to know more. It is joyful. It involves elation.
To examine wonder, we made use of a nationally representative survey conducted by the Pew Research Center of more than 35,000 U.S. residents. This survey included a question about peoples鈥� 鈥渨onder about the universe.鈥� We combined these results with previously reported detailed physical measurements of light pollution. We found that U.S. populations that live under low light pollution report feeling more 鈥渨onder about the universe.鈥� This was a specific relationship. Light pollution was not linked to other emotions that were assessed in the same Pew survey, but it was strongly connected to wonder.
Just as importantly, we found that 鈥渨onder about the universe鈥� was directly related to peoples鈥� behavioral interest in astronomy. We used a wide array of measures of interest in astronomy, including behaviors like using Google to search for 鈥渁stronomy,鈥� signing up to have one鈥檚 name sent to Mars aboard the Perseverance rover, and even applying to become a NASA astronaut. In other words, the data showed us that, in locations in the U.S. where light pollution is low, feelings of wonder about the universe and interest in astronomy are high. Features of the physical environment are linked to people鈥檚 psychological experience as well as their actual behavior.
Can you elaborate on the idea raised in the paper that light pollution is an equity issue?
RCB: We all want all children, and adults, to have the equal opportunity for inspiration and for science. But what our results are suggesting is that people within the U.S., depending on where they live, do not have equitable access to the dark night sky, which often promotes an interest in science. If you can鈥檛 experience something, it is not as easy to become motivated by it.
AM: If a child grows up in an environment where they don鈥檛 see the stars, they鈥檙e not as likely to ask childlike questions about them: 鈥淲hy do the stars twinkle?鈥� or 鈥淗ow many are there up there?鈥� It’s a powerful experience for a child to be able to see the Milky Way and the Big Dipper, but many children don鈥檛 have that opportunity anymore. Seeing the starry night sky may change kids鈥� behavior in a good way. For example, if a child can see the stars, they might go read up on astronomy or space exploration and begin to dream. Astronomy may indeed be a 鈥済ateway鈥� science that draws children, both boys and girls, into curiosity-driven programs and social clubs.
What鈥檚 the big picture you want to convey about this study?
RCB: We hope that our study inspires more research along these lines, and that this work combining psychology and astronomy will trigger the 鈥淚 wonder鈥� reflex in other scientists, prompting interdisciplinary work across the arts and sciences.
AM: This study brings together two wonders that have inspired scientists and poets over the ages 鈥� the heavens above and our human actions on earth. One is studied by astronomers and the other by psychologists. Can we connect the two? A childlike question to be sure, but one that motivates us to try to dig deeper and find out more.
This study was funded by Stanford University Diversifying Academia, Recruiting Excellence (DARE) Doctoral Fellowship Program, the National Science Foundation鈥檚 Broadening Participation Postdoctoral Research Award and the Bezos Family Foundation.
For more information, Rodolfo Cortes Barragan at barragan@u.washington.edu and Andrew Meltzoff at meltzoff@uw.edu.