Description

When astronauts go to space, they often return as different people. They report a sudden, overwhelming cognitive shift known as the "Overview Effect." Seeing the Earth as a fragile blue ball in the void, without borders or divisions, triggers a profound sense of interconnectedness and a dissolution of the ego.

"The Blue Marble Shift" explores the psychology and neuroscience behind this phenomenon. Based on interviews with astronauts from the Apollo missions to the ISS, Sarah Miles describes how the physical distance from our planet collapses the psychological distance between humans. Hardened fighter pilots return as pacifist environmentalists; engineers become poets.

But this book isn't just about space; it's about how we can simulate this shift on Earth. It argues that our tribalism and anxiety stem from a lack of perspective. Through VR technology, meditation, and "awe-inducing" experiences in nature, we can access a fraction of this cosmic perspective to heal our divided societies. It is a guide to thinking like a planet instead of a nation.