Sunlight Matters
Welcome to Sunlight Matters, the podcast that illuminates the incredible power of the sun and its impact on our health, well-being, and way of life. From its essential role in vitamin D production and mental health to its influence on architecture, urban planning, and sustainability, the sun shapes our world in ways we’re only beginning to understand. In each episode, podcast host Dave Wallace will chat with experts—from scientists and health professionals to designers and outdoor enthusiasts—to explore why sunlight isn’t just a backdrop to our lives but a force that shapes everything we do. So step into the light because here, Sunlight Matters. Photo of Sun @Andrew McCarthy Cosmicbackground.io
Episodes
Professor Pelle Lindqvist has followed 29,000 Swedish women for 34 years. His conclusion: in northern countries, avoiding the sun may be as risky as smoking.
About this episode
Almost every guest on Sunlight Matters has quoted Pelle Lindqvist's work. In this episode Dave finally talks to the man himself.
Pelle is a professor and senior consultant at Södersjukhuset, Stockholm's South General Hospital. An obstetrician who specialises in...
What if sunlight deserves a place in the health conversation alongside sleep, exercise, and nutrition? And how do we weigh its potential benefits against the very real risks of too much exposure?
In this episode, Norwegian GP and author Torkil Færø joins Dave and Georg to discuss The Sun Cure, his latest book on sunlight, circadian rhythms and health. Torkil describes how his views changed after years of assuming sunlight had little...
What makes a house feel like home? It is not simply the number of bedrooms, the size of the kitchen or the asking price. It is also the light that comes through the windows, the way the rooms feel throughout the day and whether the morning sun reaches the places where we live, work and wake up.
In this episode of Sunlight Matters, Dave Wallace and Georg Molzer are joined by Ariel Dos Santos, Chief Product and Design Officer at Redfi...
In this episode of Sunlight Matters, Dave speaks with Professor Sean Cain, a leading researcher in circadian rhythms, light and mental health. His research points to a striking pattern: brighter days are associated with a lower risk of depression, while greater exposure to light at night is associated with a higher risk.
Drawing on data from nearly 89,000 people, Sean explains why the timing of light matters as much as its brightnes...
What if sunlight is one of the most overlooked influences on our mental health?
In this episode of Sunlight Matters, Dave speaks with Kristen, a registered occupational therapist, trauma practitioner and quantum biology health coach. Drawing on her clinical work in mental health and her own experience of improving her sleep and energy, Kristen explains why morning light, daytime outdoor exposure and darkness at night may all play an...
What if better health begins not with another device, supplement or complicated routine, but with something far more fundamental: reconnecting with nature?
In this episode of Sunlight Matters, Dave Wallace speaks with Nathan Siles, a biophysics specialist focused on foundational health. Nathan’s interest in the subject is deeply personal. Legally blind following retinoblastoma as a baby, he later faced another cancer diagnosis...
Hunting the Sunrise: What Happens When You Live by the Sun?
Most of us instinctively believe we know the difference between indoors and outdoors. But while a typical indoor space might provide 300 lux of light, even an overcast sky can expose us to around 10,000 lux. On a bright summer’s day, that figure can rise to 100,000 lux.
Our eyes adapt so effectively that the difference may not feel dramatic. Our bodies, however, know e...
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 years, including Icarus, his jaw-dropping shot of ...
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, and modern light deficiency, this conversation...
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 into how technology is reshaping the way ...
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 away from sunlight and infrared-r...
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 shapes health,...
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 through wearable light technology ...
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 be influencing everything from energ...
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 with expert insight. The trio reflects o...
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 calories-in/calories-out fit...
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 reaction to new “energy-effici...
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 fourth phase of water, and the gr...
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 human health.
Are our buildings o...
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 lighting on our vision and overall metaboli...
Popular Podcasts
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.
Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by Audiochuck Media Company.
DISGRACELAND is an award-winning music and true crime podcast about musicians getting away with murder and behaving very badly. Jerry Lee Lewis's 5th wife? Dead. Sid and Nancy? Both dead. Why? Because musicians are insane, and insane things happen to them. Why did we lose Amy Winehouse at 27? Was Debbie Harry really abducted by Ted Bundy as she claims? Is Patti Smith not just the "Godmother of Punk", but also the "Original True Crime Girl"? What really happened the night of the Jay Z nightclub stabbing? What do the Diddy indictments truly reveal? All these stories and more, on artists from every genre and their true crimes, in our massive 260-plus story archive. The Dead, the Stones, Johnny, Willie, Frank, Kurt, Courtney, Gaga, Lana, Taylor, and too many to name. DISGRACELAND is music history come to life through audio storytelling as you've never heard it before, with revealing facts: yes, assassins are the real reason the Beatles quit touring—reclaimed myths: no, Mama Cass didn't die from choking on a ham sandwich––and constant reckoning between art and artist––all told through the lens of true crime. This is the podcast for the self-proclaimed "Disgos", the musically obsessed and the true crime heads; the outsiders, the independent thinkers who know that the best history is the history that gets buried. DISGRACELAND is where host Jake Brennan tells the stories they didn't want told. The kind you'll end up telling someone else. Get ready to uncover hidden truths and buckle up for truly edge-of-your-seat storytelling. New, fully scripted, sound-designed episodes are released every Tuesday. Bonus chat-style episodes where Jake responds to voicemails, texts, and emails from Disgos hit on Thursdays, and "Rewind" episodes from our archive drop on Sundays. DISGRACELAND is not a journalistic podcast. It's an entertainment podcast inspired by true events. Certain dialogue and scenes are dramatized, as is common in scripted entertainment based on real stories. Sources and credits for each episode are available at www.disgracelandpod.com. To unlock ad-free listening, exclusive content, and connect with your fellow Disgos, go to www.disgracelandpod.com to become an All Access member. Rocka Rolla.