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The relationship between moths and artificial lighting has puzzled naturalists for generations, producing several competing explanations for why the insects circle streetlights so persistently. One long-standing theory holds that moths use the moon for navigation, maintaining a fixed angle to its light, and that artificial lights disrupt this system by appearing far closer, causing the moth to spiral inward as it tries to preserve the same angle. A more recent theory, supported by high-speed camera studies, suggests moths orient their backs toward the brightest light source, a reflex that works well under a distant moon but sends them into confused loops around a nearby bulb. Critics of both theories note that not all moth species behave identically near lights, and some researchers now suspect multiple mechanisms operate simultaneously depending on species and light type. This lack of consensus has slowed efforts to design moth-friendly outdoor lighting.