From Space, Borders Blur: The Overview Effect and a Call to Redraw Our Lines

Astronauts describe the overview effect—seeing Earth from orbit makes political borders and other divisions appear invisible, underscoring that such lines are human-made rather than intrinsic to the planet. Christina Koch, part of Artemis II, articulates this shift from the ISS cupola, while Victor Glover notes a ‘‘sea level effect’’ on return that forces a choice about how to live with these lines. The piece urges recognizing and reconsidering the lines we draw in daily life, since they exist only because we drew them and could redraw them.