As a child who watched the moon landings, it had an incredibly fundamental effect on me. They ignited my love of space and fired my loved of science fiction, a path that one day would lead to me becoming a writer. And of course, I still dream of venturing into space one day.

The powerful effect on astronauts of seeing the Earth from orbit and beyond is well documented. From space, the noise of humanity falls away and astronauts can see the sum of everything they have ever known hanging onto a planet in orbit around the Sun. According to many, it's one of the most profound moments of their lives, as they experience a shift in perspective – something referred to as the overview effect. And this is something that I wish every man, woman and child could experience for themselves because I think the world would be a very much better place for it if they could. 

For now, if you haven't seen this extraordinary short documentary from the Planetary Collective, I suggest you put aside nineteen minutes of your life to do so. It deals with exactly this – the overview that space exploration has given us of the Earth...and ourselves. It is profound, moving and inspirational. Enjoy.


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