Introduction - You are Here: Around the World in 92 Minutes - page 3

of years ago. I recognize the vast lakes and rivers near my home for what
they really are: comparatively puny remnants of an enormous inland body of
water, whose traces I saw from the ISS.
Being able to perceive the narrative line behind our planet's shapes, shad-
ows and colors is a bit like having a sixth sense. It provides a new perspect-
ive; we are small, so much smaller even than we may have thought. To me,
that's not a frightening idea. It's a helpful corrective to the frantic self-import-
ance we are prone to as a species—and also a reminder to make the most
of our moment on this beautiful, strange, durable yet fragile planet.
Through astronaut photography, not just mine but the millions of images
archived by NASA and the untold number yet to come, all of us can be ex-
plorers, continuing to poke into the world's hidden corners and turn over its
mysteries. There are still plenty of those: most of the Earth has been
mapped but, to many of us, it remains largely unknown, though it's the only
home we will ever have.
You are here—we all are—for life. Let's get to know the place a little better.