Astronaut. Ron Garan experienced the ‘overview effect’ when looking down at Earth from space.
Ron Garan, an ex-NASA astronaut and author, spent an impressive 178 days in space. It was during a moment when he was looking down at Earth from the International Space Station that he encountered what is known as the ‘Overview Effect’.
NASA describes it as an experience that “shifts the way astronauts view and think about our planet and life itself.”
Despite this extensive journey, it was the sight of Earth from space that made “certain things become undeniably clear.”
He described how, in that moment, he was struck by a “sobering realization.”
He noted: “I saw an iridescent biosphere teaming with life, I didn’t see an economy, but since our human-made systems treat everything including the very life-support systems of our planet as the subsidiary of the global economy, it’s obvious from the vanish point of space that we’re living a lie.”
Since his return from space, Garan has been dedicated to working towards a cleaner, safer, and more peaceful planet.
He concluded: “We’re not going to have peace on Earth until we recognize the basic fact of the interrelated structure of all reality.”
