The Discovery of Earth: The Big Story of a Small Planet

At Christmas 1968, the earth showed itself in a new guise. For the first time, we saw our planet from deep space, with the moon in the foreground. For millions of people, it was an image of moving beauty. It was as if they were waking up from a deep winter sleep. A new élan blossomed: if we can do this, no sea is too high for us. Now, almost half a century later, that cheerful optimism seems to have evaporated and we are left with the fear of climate, raw materials, globalization and overpopulation. Yet that glorious feeling about the earth has not been extinguished. It is very much alive. Behind the scenes, a new science has blossomed, penetrating ever deeper into the story of our wonderful planet, and showing us who we are. What is emerging here is a completely new worldview, a worthy successor to the heliocentrism of Copernicus, Galileo, Kepler and Newton. That heyday of science led to the Enlightenment. Now we can see the contours of a second Enlightenment, which this time will not be limited to the modest elite, but will give a new orientation to all of humanity.