Former NASA astronaut Ronald Garan, who spent 178 days in space, has revealed a sobering realisation about humanity's priorities. During his time aboard the International Space Station, he observed a man-made structure that changed his perspective.
Garan noticed a long line of lights stretching across Asia, which he initially thought was a reflection of moonlight on a river. He later discovered it was the illuminated border between India and Pakistan. This contradicted his belief that borders are invisible from space.
In a 2022 interview with Big Think, Garan explained that viewing Earth from space made him realise humanity is 'living a lie'. He described seeing the thinness of the atmosphere and the absence of economic systems, leading him to conclude that society prioritises the economy over the planet's life-support systems.
Garan argued that we need to shift our focus from 'economy, society, planet' to 'planet, society, economy'. He emphasised the interconnectedness of all life and the need for global cooperation to address issues like the climate crisis.
