Before there were humans, light from the sun shown on the Earth, causing the plants to grow. Eventually humans evolved and realized their need for continual warmth and ability to see in the dark. They learned to make fire, which enabled them to do things even after the sun had set. It allowed them to see things in the dark and kept them warm when the Earth was turned away from the sun. Probably one of the first ways our ancient ancestors made fire was with flint or iron pyrites. These two minerals give off sparks when hit when something hard. Fifteen thousand years ago, oil lamps came into use. Candles were invented, which were simply oil lamps with solid oil. Later on in the nineteenth century, gas lighting, which gave off much more light than oil lamps, because popular. In 1877, Thomas Edison invented the incandescent light bulb. Electric lights soon became the status quo as more improvements were made to the light bulb. Today, electric lights the primary source of artificial light.

     Light has held an important part in many different religions. In Christianity, it has been used as a metaphor for the powers of God and Jesus Christ. Paintings portraying religious scenes have often included a halo of light surrounding the heads of Jesus, saints, and other important individuals. The ancient Egyptians worshiped Aton, the sun god. The Incas worshiped the sun believed that their rulers were descendants it. The Aztecs also had a sun god named Tonatiuh, whom they worshiped. In our stories and films today, light symbolizes good, while dark symbolizes evil.

     Nature has produced many different forms of light besides the sun and the stars. During thunderstorms, lightning occurs when an electric spark heats up the air so much that is glows. The "Will 'o the wisp" is a natural phenomenon that occurs over marshy ground. It is a natural flame caused by methane that is produced by the rotting plants in the ground. As the methane rises to the surface, it mixes with a gas produced by rotting animal remains, phosphine. Phosphine ignites on the contact of air. Once the phosphine would ignite, the methane would burn, causing a quickly moving flame to appear in the air. The night skies at the North and South Poles are often lit up by the burning of electrically charged particles from the sun when they hit the earth's atmosphere. This effect is called the aurora. Some animals and plants have adapted and create their own light. This adaptation allows them to confuse their enemies, attract a mate, or lure food toward them. Some minerals also glow with a fluorescent light.