Photo: iStockphoto

As the days get shorter and the fog rolls in here in Vancouver, I find myself being very appreciative of headlights - particularly as a pedestrian on those misty mornings.

History nerd that I am, I thought it might be interesting to find out more about how today's high-powered headlights came to be. From the gas-powered carbide headlights of the 1880s to the high tech LED lights on today's vehicles, headlights have undergone quite an evolution!

For a great run-down on the history of headlights (complete with photos of headlights through the ages), check out Illuminated: A Brief History of the Headlight.

This NBC Sports video from this year's LA Auto Show talks a little bit about the history of headlights as well as showing us what the future of headlights looks like:

And for more about how headlight improvement are contributing to driving safety, see this MSN Autos article about headlight technology.

With all of the new developments in headlight technology, the shape of headlights have changed dramatically. I confess a weakness for the old school look of round headlights, even if they aren't the most efficient. Rectangle, round or oblong - do you have strong headlight preference? Let us know in the comments!

- Rose R.