Sunlight Matters

If you've ever seen a photo of the Sun that stopped you in your tracks, there's a very good chance Andrew McCarthy took it. His image of our star is the first thing you see when you open the Shadowmap story, and it's the artwork behind Sunlight Matters itself. So this one is personal. Andrew is the Arizona-based astrophotographer behind some of the most iconic space images of recent...

What if sunlight isn't the enemy we've been told it is? In this episode of Sunlight Matters , science writer Rowan Jacobsen discusses his new book, In Defence of Sunlight, and explores the growing body of research linking natural light exposure to improved health, longevity, sleep, and well-being. From heliotherapy and vitamin D to infrared light, circadian rhythms, green light therapy,...

In this episode of Sunlight Matters , Dave is joined by product leader Dave Masters , former product executive at Realtor.com, to explore the future of real estate search, consumer behavior, and why sunlight data could become an essential part of buying a home. From AI-powered property discovery to the overlooked importance of natural light, shade, and home orientation, this conversation dives int...

In this fascinating and deeply thought-provoking episode of Sunlight Matters , Dave Wallace sits down with four leading thinkers from radically different disciplines to explore a provocative new scientific theory. The discussion centres on a groundbreaking new paper, Editing the Sun: How Indoor Light Lost Touch with Biology , which explores how changes in modern lighting — particularly the shift a...

Sunlight Matters Podcast Episode:  In this special episode of Sunlight Matters , David Wallace sits down with Shadowmap founder and CEO Georg Molzer to reflect on the journey behind Shadowmap, humanity’s relationship with the Sun, and the launch of a genuine world first: Sunscore — the first property-specific sunlight metric, now live on Redfin. Together, they explore: Why sunlight profoundly shap...

In this episode, our guest is Christina Friis Blach, co-founder of Lys Technologies, about how light shapes our health, performance, and daily lives. They explore how sunlight exposure and circadian rhythms influence sleep, hormones, and energy—and why modern indoor environments often disrupt this balance. Christina shares how her company is helping bridge the gap between science and real life thr...

In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Jonathan Jarecki, a 20-year-old pre-med student exploring the frontier of light biology, mitochondrial function, and the hidden impact of our modern indoor lifestyle . What begins as a conversation about holistic health quickly evolves into a powerful exploration of how sunlight exposure, artificial lighting, and our disconnection from nature may...

In this special in-person episode of Sunlight Matters , recorded on a sun-drenched rooftop terrace in Alicante, Dave and Georg are joined by daylight expert Paul Rogers to explore the profound relationship between sunlight, architecture, and human wellbeing. From the emotional impact of dark living spaces to the life-changing benefits of solar exposure, the conversation blends personal stories wit...

From Fight Camp to Sunlight:  In this episode of Sunlight Matters , guest host George Alexander speaks with professional kickboxer and osteopath Nathan , currently ranked #1 heavyweight in the UK for Muay Thai and #2 for K-1 kickboxing . Nathan shares how working with previous podcast guest, health practitioner Teresa Bug, completely reshaped his approach to performance — moving beyond traditional...

Was the global ban on incandescent light bulbs really a climate breakthrough — or did we rush into a lighting revolution without fully understanding the biological and environmental consequences? In this episode, Dave speaks with journalist and author Anna about her book Incandescent and her unexpected journey into the politics and science of modern lighting. What began as a personal health reacti...

What if the human body isn’t powered by calories alone? In this thought-provoking episode, we sit down with Austrian filmmaker P.A. Straubinger , creator of the groundbreaking documentary In the Beginning There Was Light , to explore one of the most controversial and fascinating questions in modern science: 👉 What is life energy? We dive into breatharianism, fasting, biophotons, mitochondria, the...

Glass, Sunlight & Human Health In the first episode of Series 2, we’re joined by daylighting expert and chemical engineer Joe Menchefski to explore a critical but often overlooked topic in modern building design: glass. While low-E glass and LED lighting have dramatically improved energy efficiency, emerging research suggests they may also filter out parts of the light spectrum essential for h...

In this insightful podcast discussion, friend of the podcast, Professor Glen Jeffery, sheds light on his recent study published in Nature (https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-026-35389-6) Introduction In a world dominated by LED lighting, we often overlook its potential health consequences. Professor Glen Jeffery's groundbreaking study highlights the significant effects of artificial light...

In this episode of Sunlight Matters , Dave sits down with the brilliant Paula Longato —architect, daylight consultant, and lighting designer—to explore why daylight access and sunlight analysis are critical yet often overlooked elements in urban design and architecture. 🎙️ What You'll Learn: Why modern cities like New York and Dubai are "dark daylight cities" 🌆 The role of shadow m...

Dave sits down with Ulysse Dormoy , CEO of Atrium Ltd , to explore a subject hiding in plain sight: the light we live under every day — and how it’s quietly impacting our health, performance, and wellbeing 🌞🏙️ What starts as a conversation about lighting design quickly reveals a much bigger story. From LED flicker and infrared deprivation , to the shocking parallels between ultra-processed food a...

What if everything you thought you knew about sunlight was just scratching the surface? ☀️🔬 In this illuminating episode of Sunlight Matters , hosts Dave and Georg sit down with world-renowned astrophysicist Dr. Bob Fosbury — a former senior scientist with the European Space Agency , key contributor to both the Hubble and James Webb Space Telescopes 🔭, and a trailblazer at the intersection of as...

In this companion episode to the Roger Seheult episode, Dave is joined by three experts—Prof. Glen Jeffery, Scott Zimmerman, and Dr. Bob Fosbury—to explore how sunlight and infrared light influence human health , particularly in the darker months when Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) becomes more prevalent. Dave opens up about his own experience with SAD, leading to a wide-ranging discussion of h...

As winter approaches in the North, the days get shorter, the skies darker, and for many of us, our energy, mood, and health start to dip. In Part 1 of a 2-part special of Sunlight Matters , Dr Roger Seheult joins Dave and Georg to share science-backed tips to help you stay healthy, energized, and resilient through the long winter nights . From understanding the hidden power of infrared light to si...

In this thought-provoking episode of Sunlight Matters , we travel across Europe to explore how daylight access , sunlight rights , and urban densification intersect—and often clash. Joining us are three brilliant minds working at the forefront of daylight analysis and sunlight legislation : 🌞 Mina Gaarder – A Civil Engineer based in Norway who recently completed a master’s thesis on daylight in d...

In this episode, we are joined by David Herrera, better known online as The Solar Athlete, who brings a unique blend of engineering, biology, and real-world coaching to the conversation.  From his backyard in high-altitude Wyoming, David shares the incredible journey that took him from world-class powerlifter and oilfield technician to a leading voice on circadian biology , light hygiene , and sol...

What if your computer screen could heal you instead of harming you? In this episode of Sunlight Matters , we’re joined by Dr Peter Veto and Liliana Lettieri , the visionary team behind Pixun — a company pioneering solar-powered, full-spectrum displays that use real sunlight instead of artificial backlighting. Peter and Liliana share their personal journeys with light sensitivity , screen-induced i...

In this powerful and eye-opening episode, Dave speaks with Theresa Bug , a former German police officer turned online health coach, holistic nutritionist , and advocate for natural light, grounding, and mitochondrial health . 🌿 Theresa shares her inspiring journey from a high-stress career in law enforcement—across Paris, London, Israel, and Africa—to deep healing through sunlight exposure , circ...

In this illuminating episode, we're joined by Austrian engineer Viktoria Neumueller , a passionate advocate for sunlight-optimized architecture and energy-efficient building design . With a background in planning heating, cooling, and ventilation systems, Viktoria brings rare insight into how thoughtful building orientation and solar exposure can dramatically reduce heating costs, enhance com...

In this episode, Dave chats with Professor Glen Jeffery, a neuroscientist at University College London’s Institute of Ophthalmology, whose research investigates how light, particularly long-wavelength red and infrared, influences human health, metabolism, and ageing.  Glen Jeffery is recognised as one of the world's leading researchers in exploring how light interacts with our bodies.  Glen e...

Dave speaks with Dr. Nicholas Witton , a sleep medicine and light researcher, about the critical role of natural light, especially near-infrared (NIR) light, in human health. Nicholas explains how we've shifted from living outdoors to spending over 90% of our time indoors under artificial light, particularly LEDs , which emit mainly blue light and lack the full spectrum, including the NIR wav...