33 Stunning Photos Of Humans Rendered Tiny By Earth’s Most Gorgeous Expanses
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In Carl Sagan's Pale Blue Dot appears the following passage about the minuscule speck that is planet Earth as seen from the depths of space:
"Consider again 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. The aggregate of our joy and suffering, thousands of confident religions, ideologies, and economic doctrines, every hunter and forager, every hero and coward, every creator and destroyer of civilization, every king and peasant, every young couple in love, every mother and father, hopeful child, inventor and explorer, every teacher of morals, every corrupt politician, every 'superstar,' every 'supreme leader,' every saint and sinner in the history of our species lived there — on the mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam."
It's just as true as it is glib to say that perspective is everything. Earth can indeed be nothing more than a mote of dust. It all depends on your vantage point.
When that vantage point is, say, your desk at work, it can be hard to see much beyond that horizon. Or when you're in the middle of an argument, for example, the massive amounts of life that exist outside of it may disappear.
Still, concerns that seem earth-shaking in the heat of the moment dissipate into nothingness sooner than you'd think. And what helps them dissipate is perspective, remembering that there are horizons far, far beyond your own.
And what better way to remember those horizons than to see humans dwarfed by the most gorgeously vast expanses on Earth, itself just a mote of dust?
Next, for some stunning -- and stunningly empty -- expanses featuring no humans at all, check out the world's most incredible abandoned structures and creepiest abandoned cities. Then, have a look at the world's most astounding aerial photography.
Established in 2010, All That's Interesting brings together a dedicated staff of digital publishing veterans and subject-level experts in history, true crime, and science. From the lesser-known byways of human history to the uncharted corners of the world, we seek out stories that bring our past, present, and future to life. Privately-owned since its founding, All That's Interesting maintains a commitment to unbiased reporting while taking great care in fact-checking and research to ensure that we meet the highest standards of accuracy.
Savannah Cox holds a Master's in International Affairs from The New School as well as a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley, and now serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Sheffield. Her work as a writer has also appeared on DNAinfo.
