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Earth's fragility from space reflects our insignificance in relation to the universe

Visiting the lost city of Machu Picchu, the pyramids of Egypt, the wall of China or the Coliseum of Rome are special and unforgettable moments for anyone who has this opportunity. Looking at these constructions (even if via photos or videos), some questions will inevitably arise: who made them? Why was it built? How was it done? Who had the idea? What was the function? Curiosity arouses because they are impressive works, with incredible beauty and made by man. Now imagine the size of an astronaut's fascination at having the scale of the Earth's beauty from space. The Overview video (see the end of the article) made by the Overview Institute tries to portray the feeling of those who have already had this experience, in addition to raising important discussions about the planet.

In 1968, a photograph of the Earth was taken for the first time, during the Apollo 8 mission. In the video, philosophers, theorists and former astronauts reflect on these first images of the planet. According to those who have been in space, the planet's aesthetic beauty and a new perception of the world we live in causes the "overview effect" (free translation), which can change the behavior of astronauts to follow life in the Earth.

The images convey a certain isolation, caused by the silence and darkness of space, which hypnotizes the crew of the ships to look at Earth. Another prominent element in the video is the soundtrack, it helps immersion, producing feelings of fragility and, at the same time, grandeur, stimulated by the contemplation of cities at night, oceans, deserts and even the northern lights.

We suffer from political, economic and social problems motivated by the dispute for power and by issues that directly or indirectly refer to money and consumption. These conflicts, armed or not, occur between nations that are delimited by imaginary lines on paper maps and we only remember that these divisions do not exist when we look at where we live by an image of space and not by the map.

We may have built monumental works, developed the highest technology, owned the fastest cars or the biggest televisions, but all of that is irrelevant to the universe. We are using the planet to our end and not to the end of it. We will cease to exist, but this Earth will continue to float in space, much longer, just being what it is: a fragile blue ball shrouded in the black of infinity.

Follow the full video below: