The problem? Light pollution
The Milky Way, the brilliant river of stars that has dominated the night sky and human imaginations since time immemorial, is but a faded memory to one-third of humanity and 80 percent of Americans, according to a new global atlas of light pollution produced by Italian and American scientists.
![A tapestry of stars illumines night sky above Dollhouse, Canyonlands National Park, USA. Light pollution now blots out the Milky Way for more than one-third of humanity, according to a new international study, but in the United States, some national parks still host stunning night skies. (Image credit: National Park Service) A tapestry of stars illumines night sky above Dollhouse, Canyonlands National Park, USA. Light pollution now blots out the Milky Way for more than one-third of humanity, according to a new international study, but in the United States, some national parks still host stunning night skies.](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/legacy/image/2019/Jun/Dollhouse%20Rock%2C%20Canyonlands%20National%20Park_lg2.jpg?itok=PMvZPCRr)
A tapestry of stars illumines night sky above Dollhouse, Canyonlands National Park, USA. Light pollution now blots out the Milky Way for more than one-third of humanity, according to a new international study, but in the United States, some national parks still host stunning night skies. (Image credit: National Park Service)