Why Seeing Earth From Orbit Changes Your Mind Forever
The story of the life-long cognitive shift experienced by astronauts in orbit.
When you think about space, the first few things that come to mind may be the perpetual weightlessness, being over hundreds of miles above Earth’s surface, or even simply trying to survive in a giant metal container in the deadly vacuum of outer space.
But reality seems to have a more interesting response.
To Yuri Gagarin, the first human sent into space in 1961, one of the most shocking things about space wasn't the gripping g-forces or even just being almost 200 miles above Earth’s surface.
It was simply the view of our home planet from above.
To him and the many astronauts that followed, simply seeing Earth from outer space was life-changing. This sensation was simply so inspiring that it led psychologists to consider this a cognitive shift, so profound that those who experience it have a permanently changed perspective on our home planet.
What exactly is it, and why does it happen?
The Overview Effect
This profound thought shift was first coined as The Overview Effect in 1987, though to this day it’s fully indescribable with words.
Seeing our planet from this perspective generally brings varying insights depending on the person, though all are equally as profound. To some, it describes a sudden yet life-lasting, overwhelming urge to protect our planet. For others, it invokes a sense of worldly togetherness, melting away the borders and conflicts that divide our home. In both cases, these effects are lifelong and have inspired many astronauts to act on their newfound appreciation for our home.
So what about our planet from such a view is so awe-inspiring?
For some astronauts, like Ron Garan, seeing our planet in the deadly depths of space protected only by our atmosphere is what caused his shift in thinking. “Anybody else who’s ever gone to space says the same thing because it really is striking and it’s really sobering to see this paper-thin layer and to realize that that little paper-thin layer is all that protects every living thing on Earth from death, basically,” he observed. “From the harshness of space.”
For astronauts like the all-known Neil Armstrong and Apollo 9 astronaut Russell Schweickart, the emotional response triggered a sense of interconnectedness with our planet, invoking an even stronger urge to fix and protect it.
Pictured here is Earthrise captured by William Anders and considered by many to be the most influential photo ever taken. This was the one of first opportunities for the average person to see our planet from this perspective in such color and detail.
Self-Transcendence and Earth
In psychological terms, these insights can be classified as self-transcendent experiences which are fairly uncommon to be experienced by the average person. Those that do benefit from them, however, are generally found to have higher qualities of life, more positive emotions, and a greater sense of purpose.
As humans, we naturally have an ego, which encompasses the opposite of this connection with the greater good caused by the Overview Effect mentioned earlier. According to various studies, this tends to subside along with various factors like age and spirituality, which may start a process of self-transcendence. However, few reach this point at all no matter how hard they try, as this process is highly dependent on the human experience along with one’s personality.
However, the Overview Effect pushes these aside, evoking a similar experience with just a glance of our fragile, beautiful planet.
Wrapping Up
Just over 600 humans have ever gone to space, meaning only a miniscule fraction of the billions of people to have ever existed have seen Earth from this astonishing perspective.
As we gaze into our night sky, we’re naturally captivated by the stars that illuminate the darkness. For decades, we’ve tried to explore it, the vast depths of the sky and space we see above us. However, as experienced by the few individuals who’ve had this opportunity, the true wonder might just come from where we stand now.
