An Astronaut's View: Spacewalking, Climate Change, and Life on our Pale Blue Dot

When humanity first travelled into space, it didn’t just mean exploring new worlds and frontiers. It also meant for the first time seeing our home planet in an entirely new light. What from the ground seemed infinite and indestructible - something that we could never impact -from space suddenly appeared finite and fragile. When it comes to truly understanding that blue marble we all call home, few people can claim as much insight as Piers Sellers. Not only as an astronaut did Piers get the chance to witness Earth from that ultimate bird’s eye view, but now as the division director of NASA's Earth Sciences department, he oversees the work of 1600 scientists tasked with understanding how the natural systems of our planet operate, and how they’re changing because of humanity's collective impact. In this special Season 1 Finale of The Elephant, we speak with Piers Sellers about his experiences as an astronaut and what it was like to view earth from space, the exciting new science of understanding the earth’s natural systems, and why despite the serious work ahead, he’s optimistic humanity will be able to overcome the challenge posed by climate change.