Last week we went into deep space to get some perspective on the vastness of the cosmos; this week we are going to linger close to home and admire the Earth. We’ll start with an iconic photograph known as "Pale Blue Dot." On Valentine’s Day, 1990, after Voyager 1 had completed its mission and was on its way out of the solar system, it turned to look back. Carl Sagan, who worked on the Voyager team, said of the photo, “Look again at that dot. That's here. That's home. That's us. On it everyone you love, everyone you know, everyone you ever heard of, every human being who ever was, lived out their lives.”
Humans saw the Earth from space for the first time in 1946 from a V-2 rocket, and subsequent images of the planet can make people feel a little, well, protective. The second image below is called "Earthrise"—our little orb hovering in the dark void of space—and it is credited with starting the environmental movement. Gotta take care of what we have, after all.
Once you're done, head over here to look at more space photos.
- The freewheeling, copyright-infringing world of custom-printed tees
- How to upgrade your home Wi-Fi and get faster internet
- Chloroquine may fight Covid-19—and Silicon Valley’s into it
- These industrial robots get more adept with every task
- Share your online accounts—the safe way
- 👁 If AI's so smart, why can't it grasp cause and effect? Plus, get the latest artificial intelligence news
- 🏃🏽♀️ Want the best tools to get healthy? Check out our Gear team’s picks for the best fitness trackers, running gear (including shoes and socks), and best headphones