In England and Wales, property owners have a "right to light," but Americans are out of luck. I live in the suburbs now, so it's unlikely that someone will build something that will block the natural light coming into my house. However, I am mad on behalf of all US city-dwellers that we don't have the concept of "ancient lights."
Throughout London, you can see signs underneath window sills that read "ancient lights." Although not technically necessary to assert the right, the signs indicate that the windows in question have had natural sunlight for over twenty years, protecting that natural light by law. New construction must respect the ancient lights, which cannot be blocked. Even the venerable BBC had to redraw plans for its headquarters when it was found to violate the right to light.
While Japan has a concept similar to ancient lights called nisshōken, no federal law protects natural light in the United States. While the right existed in common law, the 1959 case Fontainebleau Hotel Corp. v. Forty-Five Twenty-Five established that no such right exists. In New York City, "every habitable room shall be provided with natural light," but anyone who has lived on a tiny courtyard can tell you that doesn't necessarily make for a well-lit room.
Previously: For 90 years, lightbulbs were designed to burn out. Now that's coming to LED bulbs.
