Young clownfish on coastal reefs dying faster due to exposure to artificial light, study finds

Researchers say species exposed for long periods to light pollution near the shore were less likely to survive than those living farther away

Young clownfish on coastal reefs are dying faster as a result of exposure to artificial light at night, according to new research.

An international team of scientists studying reefs on Moorea, a tiny island of French Polynesia, have found that orange-fin anemonefish - a species of clownfish - exposed for long periods to human-generated artificial light were 36% less likely to survive than clownfish living in reefs farther from the coast.