Overview effect
The overview effect is a cognitive shift in awareness reported by some astronauts during spaceflight, often while viewing the Earth from outer space.[1][2][3][4][5][6]
It is the experience of seeing firsthand the reality of the Earth in space, which is immediately understood to be a tiny, fragile ball of life, "hanging in the void", shielded and nourished by a paper-thin atmosphere. From space, national boundaries vanish, the conflicts that divide people become less important, and the need to create a planetary society with the united will to protect this "pale blue dot" becomes both obvious and imperative.[5]
“The thing that really surprised me was that it [Earth] projected an air of fragility. And why, I don’t know. I don’t know to this day. I had a feeling it’s tiny, it’s shiny, it’s beautiful, it’s home, and it’s fragile.”
— Michael Collins, Apollo 11[7]
Astronauts Michael Collins[8], Ron Garan,[9] Rusty Schweikart,[5] Edgar Mitchell,[5] Tom Jones,[5] Scott Kelly,[10] James Irwin[11], Mike Massimino[12] and Chris Hadfield[13] are all reported to have experienced the effect. Third-party observers of these individuals may also report a noticeable difference in attitude.[5]
The term and concept were coined in 1987 by Frank White, who explored the theme in his book The Overview Effect — Space Exploration and Human Evolution (Houghton-Mifflin, 1987), (AIAA, 1998).[14]
See also
References
- ^ National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Douglas A. Vakoch (6 July 2011). Psychology of Space Exploration: Contemporary Research in Historical Perspective. Government Printing Office. pp. 29–. ISBN 978-0-16-088358-3. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ^ Albert A. Harrison (1 April 2007). Starstruck: Cosmic Visions in Science, Religion, and Folklore. Berghahn Books. pp. 92–. ISBN 978-1-84545-286-5. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ^ Douglas A. Vakoch. On Orbit and Beyond. Springer. pp. 10–. ISBN 978-3-642-30583-2. Retrieved 9 February 2013.
- ^ "Space Euphoria: Do Our Brains Change When We Travel in Outer Space?", Daily Galaxy, 2008-05-20
- ^ a b c d e f The Human Brain in Space: Euphoria and the “Overview Effect” Experienced by Astronauts, Ian O'Neill, Universe Today, 2008-05-22
- ^ Yaden, David B.; Iwry, Jonathan; Slack, Kelley J.; Eichstaedt, Johannes C.; Zhao, Yukun; Vaillant, George E.; Newberg, Andrew B. (2016). "The overview effect: Awe and self-transcendent experience in space flight". Psychology of Consciousness: Theory, Research, and Practice. 3 (1): 1–11. doi:10.1037/cns0000086. ISSN 2326-5531.
- ^ Chang, Kenneth (2019-07-16). "For Apollo 11 He Wasn't on the Moon. But His Coffee Was Warm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ Chang, Kenneth (2019-07-16). "For Apollo 11 He Wasn't on the Moon. But His Coffee Was Warm". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-07-17.
- ^ TEDx Talks (2012-01-18), TedxVienna - Ron Garan - The Orbital Perspective of Our Fragile Oasis, retrieved 2018-03-17
- ^ Feloni, Richard (19 March 2018). "NASA astronaut Scott Kelly explains how seeing planet Earth from space changed his perspective on life". Business Insider. Retrieved 19 March 2018.
- ^ Wilford, John Noble (10 August 1991). "James B. Irwin, 61, Ex-Astronaut; Founded Religious Organization". The New York Times. Retrieved 17 September 2016.
- ^ "StarTalk Live at the Bell House, The Astronaut Session", Star Talk Radio, 2012-01-29, [1]
- ^ Hadfield, Chris, Chris Hadfield: How space travel expands your mind, retrieved 2018-03-24
- ^ "Space Tourism: Face Time with Earth", Leonard David, Senior Space Writer, SPACE.com, 2006-08-05, Space-ecotourism
External links
- Space Ecotourism, Space.com (2006)
- Overview Institute
- Overview, short film from Planetary Collective
- Speech on The Overview Effect and its Importance in Civilization
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