"Stars are more rapidly disappearing than thought from the night sky due to light pollution," - according to an Alarming Report
Earth's surface is becoming brighter, leaving residents in big towns with very little to see in the skies at night, said the report.
It has become nearly impossible for people to see the countless stars that fill the night sky.
From 2011 to 2022, stargazers and citizen scientists worldwide report rapid drops in star visibility.
These citizen scientists say the rising brightness of the Earth's surface is eroding star visibility.
According to the report, nights are getting around 10% brighter each year on average, which has an impact on the health of both people and wildlife, as well as being an expensive waste of power.
Most people on earth can no longer view the shimmering Milky Way without a telescope, which reveals a worrying trend.
People in big cities are lucky if they even get a glimpse of the Big Dipper right now.
Despite policies that limit the use of streetlamps, billboards, neon signs, and automobile headlights, light pollution is increasing.
Excessive artificial lighting at night, according to scientists, can have a number of negative implications. It messes with wildlife, disturbs our sleep, and is a large waste of energy.
"Skyglow has a negative impact on both nocturnal and diurnal species and also destroys a significant part of our cultural heritage," says Constance Walker, co-author of the study & head of the Globe at Night project.
According to the authors, 30% of people globally, including 60% of Europeans and 80% of Americans, can no longer see the Milky Way on a clear night in its entirety.
Additionally, it is difficult for satellites to detect light that is emitted horizontally from sources that are more common in cities, such as billboards or storefronts.
Awareness must greatly increase for artificial light at night to be perceived as the pollution that it truly is, rather than as an always-positive thing.