Author: bioclock

How does artificial light at night affect the natural world — and our sleep? A recent episode of Het Klokhuis, a Dutch educational TV show for children, explores the science behind light pollution, featuring BioClock researcher Kamiel Spoelstra (NIOO-KNAW). Kamiel explains how streetlights can confuse insects, delay trees from shedding their leaves, and leave animals more exposed. The episode also links excessive nighttime lighting to disturbed human sleep. Filmed partly in...

What do running and hormones have in common? They both influence your biological clock — right down to the molecular level. We’re proud to share the latest scientific publication by our PhD candidate Ayano Shiba, in the Journal of Circadian Rhythms: “Voluntary Running and Estrous Cycle Modulate ΔFOSB in the Suprachiasmatic Nucleus of the Wistar Rat” What did the study find? Four weeks of voluntary running reduced expression of ΔFOSB — a marker of long-term neuronal...

Friday, May 16 marks UNESCO’s International Day of Light. On this day, BioClock and international partners draw attention to the importance of responsible light use for the health of people and nature. BioClock researchers were closely involved in the development of 26 international consensus statements, created as part of the Light for Public Health Initiative. This campaign was set up by a consortium of 21 leading experts in chronobiology, neuroscience, lighting science, and...

In a recent episode of De Nieuws BV on NPO Radio1, Kamiel Spoelstra, researcher researcher at BioClock and the Netherlands Institute of Ecology, discussed the growing problem of artificial light pollution and its devastating impact on wildlife. A striking example comes from Réunion, an island in the Indian Ocean, where young seabirds (storm-petrels) often crash after their first flights due to disorientation caused by artificial lighting. Normally, storm-petrels navigate...

Last Tuesday, April 15, a large group of BioClock consortium members gathered at Erasmus MC for the semi-annual BioClock Progress Meeting. It was an inspiring and enjoyable day, during which several trainees presented the progress of their research projects. We were also honored by the presence of Dr. Mariana Astiz. She was one of the keynote speakers at the Dutch Chronobiology Meeting the day before. During lunch, BioClock trainees had the opportunity to speak with her about...

Each April, the BioClock Consortium organizes a national conference to bring together chronobiologists from across the Netherlands to share scientific findings and inspire one another. The third edition of the Dutch Chronobiology Meeting took place this past Monday in the auditorium of Rotterdam’s City Hall, hosted by the Municipality of Rotterdam—one of BioClock’s partners. Almost every field within chronobiology was represented. A colorful mix of brain researchers, sleep...

This past weekend, the BioClock consortium was present at Jaarbeursplein in Utrecht during Culturele Zondag — the festive launch of Dutch Health Week. On this sunny day filled with dance, music, and theatre, we added an educational and engaging twist to the program. Visitors could discover their chronotype — in other words: are you a morning person or an evening person? With a short questionnaire and an interactive chart, participants could immediately see how their rhythm...