In this illuminating solosode of The Red Light Report, Dr. Mike Belkowski takes a deep dive into the fascinating work of photo-biological pioneer John Ott, whose groundbreaking discoveries laid the foundation for our modern understanding of how light affects biological systems. Dr. Mike revisits Ott’s influential (yet often overlooked) book, Health and Light, exploring excerpts that demonstrate the profound influence of light on plants, animals, and humans — including its effects on hormonal balance, cellular behavior, sex determination, and even viral activity. The episode covers:
• Ott’s concept of mal-illumination and the modern light environment crisis
• Experiments showing how different light wavelengths influenced the sex of fish and chinchillas, cholesterol levels in mice, and behavior in lab animals
• How ultraviolet light affects chloroplast streaming and retinal pigment epithelial cells
• The surprising connections between light, the endocrine system, and overall health
• Why sunglasses may be harming your health by disrupting natural UV perception
• Dr. Mike’s reflections on the importance of embracing full-spectrum sunlight for true vitality
Whether you’re a longtime light therapy enthusiast or just beginning your journey, this episode will radically shift how you view the light that surrounds you. If you found the information in today's episode particularly interesting and/or compelling, please share it with a family member, friend, colleague and/or anyone that you think could benefit and be illuminated by this knowledge. Sharing is caring :)

As always, light up your health!

Key points:

00:00 – Introduction

00:32 – John Ott: Pioneer of Photobiology

02:09 – Mal-illumination: The Concept and Its Health Impacts

04:04 – Health and Light: Exploring John Ott’s Book

08:59 – Light and the Endocrine System: Fish and Chinchilla Experiments

27:02 – Chloroplasts and Light Filters: Plant and Animal Responses

47:35 – Animal Response to Light: Breeding and Behavior Studies

52:26 – Biological Effects of Tinted Lenses: UV Light and Health

01:01:07 – Sunglasses and UV Light: Impacts on Iris and Systemic Health

01:04:15 – Conclusion: Importance of Full-Spectrum Sunlight

Journal of Comparative Neurology

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