How astronauts change in space as man who spent 178 days in space came to realise we're 'living a lie'

A change of scenery can work wonders for us humans when we find ourselves stuck in a bit of a rut, so just imagine what impact heading up to outer space can have.

Simply switching up my usual daily lunch spot seems to give me a new lease of life, which probably sounds quite laughable to the likes of NASA astronauts like Ron Garan.

He's one of the few people who have ventured out to the International Space Station (ISS) and witnessed things that us mere mortals probably couldn't comprehend.

Although spacewalks, scientific research and the solar system are super cool and all of that, orbiting the Earth on the ISS isn't as glamorous as you might presume.

It turns out that it's not all fun and games while you're taking a holiday from our planet, as sporting a spacesuit is actually quite uncomfortable, the isolation can really mess with your head and you're putting your health at risk.

The view of our planet from space stirs up quite profound emotions for astronauts. (NASA PHOTO/AFP via Getty Images)

But despite these drawbacks, an astronaut is obviously one of the most admirable careers around.

And those who manage to make it into space agency's such as NASA also have the opportunity to experience something extremely profound.

Spacemen and women such as Garan have all reported returning to Earth with an entirely new perspective on life due to what they witnessed while on the ISS - as a result of a phenomenon known as the 'overview effect'.

This term describes the cognitive shift that astronauts can experience while glaring out of the window at the globe they call home from all the way up in space.

According to King's College London, they may report feeling 'unexpected emotions, an overwhelming sense of beauty, and an increased feeling of connection to other people and the Earth as a whole'.

Researchers have also compared the overview effect to a 'state of awe with self-transcendent qualities' which can trigger an 'unexpected and overwhelming emotion' for astronauts as they realise the gravity - no pun intended - of their role.

People such as Garan - who spent a whopping 178 days in space, travelling more than 71 million miles in 2,842 orbits throughout his career at NASA - say they returned home with an entirely new outlook as a result of the phenomenon.

NASA's Ron Garan returned to Earth with an entirely new outlook on life. (SERGEI ILNITSKY/AFP via Getty Images)

The 62-year-old previously said looking at Earth from that vantage point made him realise that 'we're living a lie' down here and are all much to preoccupied with the wrong things.

"I saw the unbelievable thinness of our planet's atmosphere," he told the Big Think. "In that moment, I was hit with the sobering realisation that that paper-thin layer keeps every living thing on our planet alive.

"I saw an iridescent biosphere teeming with life. I didn't see the economy. But since our human-made systems treat everything, including the very life-support systems of our planet, as the wholly owned subsidiary of the global economy, it's obvious from the vantage point of space that we're living a lie."

Astronaut Michael Collins, who flew the Apollo 11, also said he was stunned at how 'fragile' and 'tiny' Earth looked, while Apollo 14's Edgar Mitchell said the experience gave him an 'explosion of awareness'.

The phenomena was even experienced by Star Trek's William Shatner on a sub-orbital space flight, with the actor saying that he was filled 'with overwhelming sadness'.

A string of space travellers have claimed to have experienced the 'overview effect'. (Getty Stock Image)

'Space philosopher' Frank White authored the book The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution which delves into the topic, offered some advice for Earthlings who fancy having a similar awakening to these astronauts.

He described the overview effect during an appearance on NASA's Houston, We Have a Podcast in 2019, saying: "We need to think of ourselves as part of this organic system, if you will."

"Our fate is bound up with people that we may think are really different from them," White said. "We may have different religions, we may have different politics.

"But ultimately, we are connected. Totally connected. And not only with people, but with life. We’re totally connected with life. And everything relates to everything else. And out of that, also, is the realisation again.

"You could know that, too. I mean, you could say, I know that. I know we’re all connected. I know our differences don’t matter that much. But again, it’s knowing it with the brain and not the heart.

"And so, the big, sort of, what would I call it, insight, about their experience is that it is an experience."