Astronaut Who Spent

Former NASA astronaut Ron Garan had a powerful realization during his 178 days in space, where he orbited Earth over 2,800 times. Experiencing the “overview effect”—a deep cognitive shift many astronauts report—Garan felt overwhelmed by Earth’s beauty and fragility. From the International Space Station, he witnessed lightning storms and auroras up close, and saw just how thin our atmosphere really is. That thin layer, he noted, is what keeps all life alive. He concluded that many of our human concerns are misplaced and that we’re ignoring vital issues like climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity loss.

Garan believes humanity is “living a lie” by prioritizing the economy over the environment, and that our systems treat nature as secondary to profit. He argues that we must rethink our values—putting the planet first, followed by society and then the economy. Recognizing our global interconnectedness is key to evolving and achieving peace. Garan isn’t alone; fellow astronauts like Michael Collins and Edgar Mitchell have also described Earth as fragile and awe-inspiring from space. Their shared perspective points to a deep truth: to truly understand our place in the universe, we may need to see Earth from afar.