Look up: How astronomy can give us perspective on the climate crisis

Shelley Harrisberg

From the dawn of our history, humans have looked up to the sky and found wonder. Our explorations have led us to the knowledge that our position in the universe is not unique – the Earth is one of billions of planets in a galaxy, and that galaxy is one of billions in a Universe. And yet, as we ourselves moved up into space and were able to now look down on our small blue planet, perhaps nothing more could highlight just how precious and unique the Earth really is. From the historic images of the Earth taken by a human from the orbit of the moon to the images taken by astronauts aboard the International Space Station, we live at a time where astronomy and space exploration can truly offer us a new perspective of the beauty – but also fragility – of our home. Indeed, extreme weather anomalies, wildfires and receding glaciers – all phenomena directly related to climate change – can all be seen from space. Where does this leave us? Should we stop looking up? In this presentation, I explore the uniqueness of Earth, how it came to provide a home for us and how astronomy can help us understand the importance of preserving that home.