We are swiftly losing our ability to see the stars. Light pollution is savage for nature. Insects and birds use the stars and moon to navigate. Even trees need to rest, and require darkness. But darkness is disappearing. Four out of five citizens of the USA are unable to see the Milky way where they live.
This article in Scientific American spells it out, with a world-wide map showing the vast areas of light pollution across the globe. They point out that, sadly, energy-efficient lighting, such as LED lights, are simply making the problem worse:
http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/new-map-shows-the-dark-side-of-artificial-light-at-night/
