I went to space and discovered an enormous lie | Ron Garan

What astronaut Ron Garan saw in space changed his life forever – here’s what it taught him.

A curious phenomenon often occurs when astronauts travel to space and look out on our planet for the first time: They see how interconnected and fragile life on Earth is, and they feel a sudden responsibility to protect it.

Astronaut @RonGaran experienced this so-called “overview effect” when he first saw Earth from space. When he looked out on the planet, he saw an iridescent biosphere teeming with life, all protected by a remarkably thin atmosphere.

What he did not see was the thing that society often gives top priority: the economy. For Garan, seeing Earth from space revealed problems like global warming, deforestation, and biodiversity loss are not disconnected. They are the symptoms of an underlying flaw in how we perceive ourselves as humans: We fail to realize that we are a planetary species.

0:00 The lie humanity is living
1:28 Escaping Plato’s cave
2:15 What astronaut’s see in space
4:07 The orbital perspective
4:50 The ‘dolly zoom’: gain mental altitude

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About Ron Garan:
Former NASA astronaut, serial entrepreneur, humanitarian, and highly decorated combat fighter Ron Garan racked up 178 days in space and more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits between tours on the US Space Shuttle, Russian Soyuz spacecraft, and the International Space Station. During his time in space, Garan conducted four spacewalks in support of ISS construction and maintenance. Prior to those space journeys, he lived and conducted research on the bottom of the ocean in the world’s only undersea research lab, Aquarius.

Before reaching the summit of his career, Garan, a former test pilot and graduate of the US Naval Test Pilot School, taught hundreds of elite fighter pilots how to "up their game" as a flight instructor at the prestigious USAF Fighter Weapons School, the Air Force version of TOP GUN. He is the author of the critically acclaimed books: The Orbital Perspective, Floating in Darkness: A Journey of Evolution, and the children’s book, Railroad to the Moon. Garan is celebrated not just for his research in space but also for his humanitarian contribution to life on Earth.

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Read more of our stories on the overview effect:
The overview effect is another reason to speed up space exploration
William Shatner cried upon returning from space. The “overview effect” explains why
The awesome power of awe: How this neglected emotion can change lives

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[MRithesky]

“Our main problem is a lack of understanding of what it means to be human and that we are not separate from nature” - Jacque Fresco

[Hawken]

Humanity has advanced much in technology but advanced little in wisdom.

[mmntmusa]

as long as psychopaths, sociopaths, and highly narcissistic individuals exist and we continue to let ourselves be led by these people, Ron’s epiphany won’t be reached.

[tessa]

Thought this way prior to hearing this. Humanity's greatest power is our ability to cooperate. I can do a lot of things but I can never be 10 thousand people. If we all worked together we could do virtually anything.

[totemtabu]

“We are the universe becoming conscious of itself.” Perfectly stated.

[jericpaullim]

This is a complete opposite of the nihilistic existential dread that one might get from experiencing the vastness of space. Thank you for this.

[Rocket-Fest]

Always a spare $300, 000, 000, 000 for wars but never a cent for Poverty
There lies the answer to the endless grief of the living

[cdynes]

Yes everything is connected and interdependent. Ive always known this. People really take the miracle of life on this planet for granted.

[sitalaird]

Our main problem is humanity does not LOVE ONE ANOTHER true love and respect.

[helderlouro]

“The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.” ― Carl Sagan

[mar.pequen]

Thanks to all the people involved in making this video. This conversation should be happening in every home.

[bridgetteendsley]

Humanity as a whole doesn't deserve another shot. Greed is going to destroy everything good in life. Love is the only answer, for everyone and everything.

[Stompiix]

"We are not from Earth, We are Of Earth. We are the universe conscious of itself" beautiful.

[outerspace..]

Literally teared up. I see our planet as a whole, one giant living organism. What saddens me and tears me apart the way how we are treating this magnificent planet that we’re all living in, the way how we’re treating each-other and all other living beings in it too. People must and need to realize that we’re all one big family and living inside a home that we call Earth. There are no borders, there are no “us” or “them” there are no “me”, there’s only “us”, with the whole, and if our mindset wont change, we will end up miserably and end ourselves for good sooner or later. No one will or can save us, not god, nor any religions or all the money on Earth, except us. We desperately need to shift our way of thinking towards each-other and all life on Earth including towards our own planet that we call HOME.

I beg you humans, please wake up, change starts within, not the other way around.

Much love to you all.

[SimonGeraedts]

Great video with a great message! Brian Cox once suggested taking all world leaders into space to experience this very "overview effect". Not only would this be a great help in curbing their incredible megalomania, but it would also help them realize that we as humanity need to work together and protect the planet.

[theianbarton]

I didnt think the dolly zoom was gonna make me cry today. Amazing video and speaking thank you Ron!

[marylizbender]

I am so awed by Ron and by his devotion and dedication to sharing his profound, transformative spaceflight experience with the world. He is the poster child of the Overview Effect. He left Earth a fighter pilot and returned a conservationist, humanitarian, and artist, desperate to share his new perspective with the rest of the planet. His heart is huge and he's spent years integrating his experience and refining the way he shares it. We're so fortunate for this.

[Antonio_]

Goosebumps. I've been playing and philosophizing with this perspective since the moment I started looking up in the sky into space as a teen. The ability to make us realize that we're all on the same team.

We do it when we meet a person from our own street in another part of our neighbourhood. We do it when we meet a person from our own neighbourhood in another part of our city. We do it when we meet a person from our city in another part of our country. We do it when we meet a person from our country in another part of the world. We go: "Hey, that's cool! I live there too!" It's time for us to move up another level. Planet Earth. That's cool! We live there.

Much respect and appreciation for sharing this unique perspective and awesome message, sir!

[GertrudAumann]

Thank you so much, Mr. Garan to give us a wider perspektive. I think, you are right and I hope, the mankind will learn to love each other and our planet. Greatings from Germany, an stay blessed Sir. Sincerely Gertrud 🙏

[sampoornamkannan]

A beautiful portrayal.
This type of wisdom, are far and few points occurring nowadays. I wrote the Dolly zoom effect, as a 'Google Map effect' when it was introduced initially: when I zoomed out from a building top into space.
As regards the three dimensional effect he was referring to, a two dimensional mirror reflects a three dimensional space which is an illusion.