Edgar Mitchell, Apollo 14 astronaut, once described the emotion that occurs as you look at Earth from space. He called it“interconnected euphoria”.
It's an experience shared by many astronauts.
“Intellectually, I knew what to expect. I have probably looked at as many pictures from space as anybody … so I knew exactly what I was going to see … But there is no way you can be prepared for the emotional impact … It brought tears to my eyes.” Don Lind STS-51-B mission specialist "When I first looked back at the Earth, standing on the Moon, I cried.” Alan Shepard, Apollo 14 “When you go around the Earth in an hour and a half, you begin to recognize that your identity is with that whole thing. That makes a change … it comes through to you so powerfully that you’re the sensing element for Man.” Russel Schweikart, Apollo 9The author Frank White described this phenomenon as the 'Overview Effect'
"This view of the earth from space, this whole earth perspective, I think is the true symbol of this age and I believe what is going to happen is that there is going to be a greater and greater interest in communicating this idea because, after all, it is the key to our survival, we have to start acting as one species, with one destiny"
Below is a wonderful short film from Planetary Collective which documents astronauts' life-changing stories of seeing the Earth from the outside.
Looking upon Earth, astronauts, can see no borders or boundaries except those created in minds or through human behaviors. All the ideas and concepts that divide us begin to fade from orbit. The result is a shift in worldview, and in identity.
It seems Fred Hoyles was right:
"Once a photograph of the Earth, taken from outside, is available... a new idea as powerful as any in history will be let loose." Fred Hoyle
With space tourism nearly upon us and virtual reality freely available soon, we will all have access to this experience.
What will be its impact?
Could it lead to the dawning of our own species-wide “interconnected euphoria”?