Lights drown out Milky Way for third of world’s population

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – More than one-third of the world’s population can no longer see the Milky Way because of man-made lights.

Among those missing out on Milky Way views: nearly 80 per cent of North Americans and 60 per cent of Europeans.

These are the findings of a new global atlas of light pollution, published Friday.

According to the scientific report, 83 per cent of Earthlings now live beneath light-polluted skies.

Tiny Singapore, for example, is the most light-polluted country; it never offers a true night sky. Kuwait and Qatar are close runners-up. On the opposite end of the spectrum are Chad and Madagascar.

The Italian-led research team warns the problem affects more than astronomers. It’s profoundly altered a fundamental human experience, namely that of pondering the night sky.