Frank White's Blog
The Overview Effect
This blog monitors developments relevant to the Overview Effect and comments on them from the perspective of "overview thinking."
How Much Space is in Space?
This paper argues that human technological civilization has exceeded the “carrying capacity” of planet Earth’s ecosystem. As a result, we must shift the paradigm around Large-Scale Space Migration [LSSM]
March 18, 2022 by Frank White
The Overview Effect and Creative Performance in Extreme Human Environments
July 16, 2021 by Frank White
Does the environment make a difference in fostering or inhibiting creative performance? This question is worth asking when we consider its relevance on Earth, but it becomes especially pertinent when examining astronaut performance. Everything an astronaut does takes place in an environment that is radically different from the terrestrial surroundings in which humanity evolved.
The Pentagon’s “Zen Report” on UFOs/UAPs
July 16, 2021 by Frank White
The long-awaited Pentagon report on UFOs (officially known as Preliminary Assessment: Unidentified Aerial Phenomena), from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (1) is a triumph of Zen expression. I say that because it says a lot while appearing to say nothing. “Very Zen,” as the saying goes. I have been studying UFOs since I was 10 years old, and I think I have a solid background on the topic, so I was very interested in this report. At first, I was disappointed, but now I am not so sure. Let’s discuss it.
What if Richard and Jeff Flew Together?
July 06, 2021 by Frank White
It’s hard not to get excited about personal space exploration right now, isn’t it? After all, we have Inspiration4, DearMoon, Axiom flights to the ISS, and...Sir Richard Branson just announced the Unity 22 mission, which will fly nine days before Jeff Bezos lifts off on his own Blue Origin flight!
The Case for Space Migration
As large numbers of human beings begin to move off of planet Earth, living and working in the rest of the solar ecosystem, what term shall we use to describe it?
May 27, 2021 by Frank White
As large numbers of human beings begin to move off of planet Earth, living and working in the rest of the solar ecosystem, what term shall we use to describe it
Michael Collins and the Overview Effect
May 03, 2021 by Frank White
The death of Michael Collins, command module pilot on Apollo 11, has generated many tributes—all of them deserved—that testify to his place in history.
We Are the "New Astronaut Corps"
March 16, 2021 by Frank White
Recently, I entered a contest called the Inspiration4 Mission that will take four people into orbit on a SpaceX flight, possibly by the end of this year.
Why We Must Go
October 14, 2020 by Frank White
The question is no longer if humanity should expand into other parts of the solar system, but only how we undertake this critical migration.
Isaac and I
September 14, 2020 by Frank White
My writing career has been marked with many ups and downs, an experience that is familiar to most authors.
Are We Really All in this Together?
June 08, 2020 by Frank White
It has taken me some time to return to blogging because I have been watching and listening to what is going on in American cities...
"We're All in this Together:" Part Six: Threats and Opportunities
April 17, 2020 by Frank White
What might be some positive lessons learned from the impact of the COVID Effect on global society?
"We're All in this Together: Part Five:" What is Humanity's Mission?
April 12, 2020 by Frank White
The pandemic is challenging us to think about viruses, and ourselves, in new ways.
"We're All in this Together": Part Four
March 28, 2020 by Frank White
As I have mentioned in earlier blog posts on this subject, the message that "We're all in this together" is something of a mantra by astronauts...
"We're All in this Together": Part Three
March 24, 2020 by Frank White
I asked my good friend and colleague Felix Hoch to review my previous two blogs on the topic, "We're All in this Together."
"We're All In This Together" Part One
March 15, 2020 by Frank White
Having interviewed 41 astronauts for my work on the Overview Effect, I have heard one thought expressed frequently, which is: "We're all in this together."
Brian Barnett's review of The Cosma Hypothesis
January 11, 2020 by Frank White
Brian Barnett, founder and CEO of Solstar Space Company, is one of the original "Overviewers," having read the first edition of The Overview Effect...
Jeff Krukin's Review of The Cosma Hypothesis
January 01, 2020 by Frank White
Jeff and I have worked in space advocacy together for many years.
Why We Need a Human Space Program (1)
October 30, 2019 by Frank White
There’s no question that humans, powered by a potent combination of private enterprise and public funding, are leaving the Earth...
What's Wrong with a Space Force?
August 25, 2019 by Frank White
President Trump has signed a directive creating a “Space Force,” a new branch of service for the United States...
The Astronaut's Secret: Space Center Houston Talk
June 15, 2019 by Frank White
On June 12, 2019, I gave a talk about "the Astronaut's Secret" at Space Center Houston, the visitors' center for NASA's Johnson Space Center.
The Importance of Spacebuzz
June 15, 2019 by Frank White
In the fall of 2017, I was privileged to deliver the keynote address at the first symposium on the Overview Effect.
Sean McClinton's Review of The Cosma Hypothesis
April 26, 2019 by Frank White
Sean and I have known each other for quite a while now and we talk frequently about the future of space tourism and space exploration in general.
More from Kevin Kelley
April 03, 2019 by Frank White
As I have said in an earlier post, I have known Kevin for many years, dating back to the late 1980s...
Kevin Kelley on " The Cosma Hypothesis"
March 21, 2019 by Frank White
I have known Kevin for many years, dating back to the late 1980s, when he published The Home Planet and I published The Overview Effect.
Rick Tumlinson on The Cosma Hypothesis: Implications of the Overview Effect
February 27, 2019 by Frank White
Rick and I go way back, to the early days of the space movement and meetings at Gerard K. O'Neill's Space Studies Institute.
Apollo 8 and the Overview Effect: Part Two
December 24, 2018 by Frank White
Many contemporary commentators on the Overview Effect imply that it began with the Earthrise photo.
Apollo 8 and the Overview Effect: Part One
December 21, 2018 by Frank White
As many of you are aware, this week marks the 50th anniversary of the historic Apollo 8 mission to the moon.
A Historic Day
December 13, 2018 by Frank White
Make no mistake about it: Virgin Galactic's flight today is a BIG DEAL.
Space in New England: We Need an Alliance
October 17, 2018 by Frank White
Hiawatha Bray, a columnist for the Boston Globe, recently wrote an eye-opening article about entrepreneurial space companies in New England.
The "Earthrise App"
August 31, 2018 by Frank White
Fifty years ago this Christmas, Apollo 8 traveled to the moon. It may have been the most important mission to date, as an Overview Effect moment.
Tenth Anniversary of Overview Institute Founding
May 28, 2018 by Frank White
Ten years ago, David Beaver, Alex Howerton, and I announced the establishment of the Overview Institute at the International Space Development Conference...
New space philosophy website announcement
February 16, 2018 by Frank White
I am very pleased to be working with Dylan Taylor and Rick Tumlinson on the launch of the new space philosophy website, 2211.world.
A New Space Philosophy Website
January 02, 2018 by Frank White
Anyone who has been following my writings for the past 30-40 years knows that I have been advocating the development of a "philosophy of space exploration..."
Goodbye to the 30th Anniversary Year
December 31, 2017 by Frank White
This year was many things to many people. Each of us had our own experience that made it special.
Goodspace
December 19, 2017 by Frank White
My friend and colleague Dylan Taylor wants us to adopt a different way of thinking about space exploration and development.
A New Initiative
October 14, 2017 by Frank White
I want everyone to know that I am participating in a new initiative to bring strategic communications services to entrepreneurial space companies.
The Overview Effect for Children
October 04, 2017 by Frank White
I wanted to let everyone know about this project, which is being created by Hidde Hoogcarspel in the Netherlands.
Cosmism and Cosmocentrism
September 20, 2017 by Frank White
As I have been exploring the notion of cosmocentrism, I have been drawn to a group of space philosophers I discovered while writing The Overview Effect.
"All Of Us Will Be Cosmocentrists"
August 28, 2017 by Frank White
For much of recorded history, everyone simply agreed that the sun and the rest of the universe revolved around the Earth.
"I Am a Cosmocentrist"
August 16, 2017 by Frank White
What does it mean to be a cosmocentrist? It means that you look at everything from the perspective of the greatest whole system of which we can be aware...
The Cosmocentric Perspective
July 22, 2017 by Frank White
Since concluding that our next step conceptually is to see the world from a cosmocentric, rather than anthropocentric perspective, I have become...
The Impact of The New Camelot
June 23, 2017 by Frank White
Apogee Prime has been kind enough to publish The New Camelot: The Quest for the Overview Effect.
A Tribute to Ken Cox
May 31, 2017 by Frank White
One of the great leaders of the space exploration movement died recently.
A Breakthrough
May 11, 2017 by Frank White
Recently, I have been exploring a few ideas that have come together to produce something of a breakthrough.
Correction
May 06, 2017 by Frank White
In a recent post, I said that 2017 marked the 400th anniversary of the publication of Sir Isaac Newton's Principia Mathematica.
Thirtieth anniversary of The Overview Effect's publication
April 22, 2017 by Frank White
This is a pretty big year for anniversaries!
Competing Visions (6)
March 24, 2017 by Frank White
Elon Musk offers a clear vision of what he wants to accomplish and why.
Competing Visions (5)
March 04, 2017 by Frank White
The Overview Effect hypothesis originally focused on a group of people who did not yet exist, i.e., those who might fulfill the O'Neill vision...
The Passing of Gene Cernan
January 25, 2017 by Frank White
I was saddened to hear about the passing of Gene Cernan, Apollo 17 commander and last person to walk on the moon.
Competing Visions (4)
January 13, 2017 by Frank White
I was very involved in the Space Studies Institute (SSI) and my work with the space settlement movement led directly to the discovery of the Overview Effect.
Competing Visions (3)
December 27, 2016 by Frank White
Not long after the Apollo 11 landing on the moon, a professor at Princeton University asked one of his classes...
Thoughts on "Earthrise"
December 24, 2016 by Frank White
For many of us, Christmas Eve has always been a very special time, either because of our spiritual path or because it is a time for celebration and gift-giving.
A Tribute to John Glenn
December 12, 2016 by Frank White
John Glenn's passing at the age of 95 marks the loss of another of our great space exploration pioneers.
Competing Visions (2)
November 28, 2016 by Frank White
Most of us would agree that exploration is a positive human activity.
Competing Visions
November 07, 2016 by Frank White
For some time now, I have been urging that we develop a "philosophy of space exploration and development."
What is "the Mars Effect?"
October 27, 2016 by Frank White
I am beginning to see the outlines of what a "Mars Effect" might be.
The Impact of Contact (III)
October 04, 2016 by Frank White
We have considered what might happen to our society if we were contacted by an extraterrestrial civilization only a few hundred years ahead of us...
The Impact of Contact (II)
September 24, 2016 by Frank White
While a significant amount of effort has gone into finding exoplanets and determining if they are habitable, much less work has been done on the impact...
The Outer Space/Inner Space Interface (3)
August 20, 2016 by Frank White
Is the Overview Effect a spiritual experience? I am often asked this question.
The Outer Space/Inner Space Interface (2)
July 28, 2016 by Frank White
Whenever we explore anything, we learn much more about ourselves.
The Outer Space/Inner Space Interface
June 29, 2016 by Frank White
As I noted in my most recent post, one of the tasks for the Human Space Program is to consider the interface between...
The Human Space Program: 20 Projects
June 12, 2016 by Frank White
When I posed the idea of the Human Space Program in the first edition of The Overview Effect, it seemed to me that it would a good idea to offer...
The Human Space Program (IV)
June 02, 2016 by Frank White
In working on my current book, The Cosma Hypothesis, I have been giving a lot of thought to exactly what the Human Space Program would look like.
The Human Space Program (III)
May 13, 2016 by Frank White
Think of the Human Space Program as a "central project" for all of humanity, a way to harness the best energies of the best minds and hearts on our planet...
The Human Space Program (II)
May 06, 2016 by Frank White
The purpose of the Human Space Program, in my mind, is to lay out a strategy for exploring and developing the solar system that is consistent with...
The Human Space Program (Part One)
April 27, 2016 by Frank White
In each edition of my book, I have proposed and discussed the idea that humanity create a Human Space Program...
The "Wecosystem" (Part I)
April 23, 2016 by Frank White
Recently, I have been working on a new book called The Cosma Hypothesis.
Closing Comments at Launch of "Academy in Space Initiative"
April 20, 2016 by Frank White
The following are my closing comments at the event at Framingham State University that launched the "Academy in Space Initiative..."
Opening Remarks at Launch of Academy in Space Initiative
April 14, 2016 by Frank White
The following are a portion of my opening remarks at the launch of the Academy in Space Initiative at Framingham State University on April 6, 2016...
Liftoff!
April 08, 2016 by Frank White
The Academy in Space Initiative had a great launch on April 6 at Framingham State University.
The Academy in Space Initiative (Part IV)
April 03, 2016 by Frank White
The Academy in Space Initiative will launch on April 6, 2016, at Framingham State University, 100 State Street, Framingham, MA 01701 from 4:30 to 6:30 pm.
The Academy in Space Initiative (Part III)
March 31, 2016 by Frank White
For too long, the space exploration enterprise has been cordoned off and seen as the province of "space advocates."
The Academy in Space Initiative (Part II)
March 20, 2016 by Frank White
In my view, the Academy in Space Initiative (AISI) should look at all the pertinent questions about space exploration and development that are not be asked...
Academy in Space Initiative
March 14, 2016 by Frank White
For the past 35-plus years, I have been working on an initiative that seems finally to be coming to fruition.
The Passing of Edgar Mitchell
February 18, 2016 by Frank White
I met Edgar in 1986, when I was conducting interviews with astronauts for the first edition of my book...
The View from Mars and the Copernican Perspective (Part III)
January 31, 2016 by Frank White
In my previous post, I said that the early Martian settlers might become frustrated as they experienced the Copernican Perspective...
The View from Mars and the Copernican Perspective (Part II)
January 19, 2016 by Frank White
We cannot predict, with any certainty, the impact on human thought, of seeing the Earth from Mars, but we can make some educated guesses.
The View from Mars and The Copernican Perspective (Part I)
January 09, 2016 by Frank White
Humanity is going to Mars.
What the SpaceX Accomplishment Means
December 15, 2015 by Frank White
Elon Musk’s company, SpaceX, has now safely landed a rocket that was once in orbit, which means that it can be used again.
Is Experiencing the Overview Effect a Human Right?
September 13, 2015 by Frank White
Since the late 1970s and early 1980s, I have been developing the theory of the Overview Effect, and thinking about this phenomenon.
SETI Goes Mainstream
September 05, 2015 by Frank White
Within a couple of days of one another, two announcements helped to bring the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence into the mainstream media in a big way.
Thoughts on the Third Edition of The Overview Effect
January 15, 2015 by Frank White
Why is it that The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution is now in its third edition?
The Overview Effect, third edition Now Available
October 19, 2014 by Frank White
The latest edition of The Overview Effect: Space Exploration and Human Evolution is now available for purchase...
Earth Day and the Overview Effect
April 22, 2012 by Frank White
While I enjoy Earth Day and the outpouring of love and caring for our beautiful planet, I always find myself a bit sad this day as well.
Race for Space: The Overview Effect
March 21, 2012 by Frank White
I have entered this contest as a means of promoting awareness of the importance of the Overview Effect.
Space Contest and the Overview Effect
March 19, 2012 by Frank White
I just entered a contest to take a suborbital hop into space on a private spacecraft.
A University on the Moon? Talk About Higher Education!
February 06, 2012 by Frank White
I recently had a long talk with Lynn Harper, who works for NASA and is one of the most original thinkers about space exploration that I know.
The Overview Effect and Language
November 28, 2011 by Frank White
The more I think about it, the more I'm convinced that our language may be the biggest barrier to our understanding of who we are...
The Overview Effect and the "Facebook Revolutions"
November 27, 2011 by Frank White
As we have watched the uprisings that began in the Middle East and have now spread around the world, much has been made of the role that online technologies...
The Overview Effect and Cognitive Dissonance
May 29, 2011 by Frank White
At the most recent ISDC conference, I made a "virtual presentation" on the Overview Effect and Cognitive Dissonance.
Summit Conference of Philanthropists
September 22, 2010 by Frank White
One of the most persistent ideas that emerged from my interviews with astronauts was the concept of summit conferences in space.
Points of View and the Overview
September 21, 2010 by Frank White
As I look at the political debate going on in the United States, I realize that each side is coming from a "point of view," and no one has an Overview.
Writing from Orbit
July 27, 2010 by Frank White
As I wrote in The Overview Effect, it would be good for as many people as possible to experience the Effect. ..
Uniting the Space Community
May 26, 2010 by Frank White
The current debate over President Obama's plan for space exploration does not appear to directly affect the work of the Overview Institute...
We Need an "Earth Corps"
February 07, 2010 by Frank White
Like everyone else, I have been saddened by the impact of the recent earthquake on the people of Haiti.
A New Paradigm for Space Exploration
February 02, 2010 by Frank White
President Obama has now made the most important decision of his presidency.
Climate Change, Global Warming, and the Overview Effect
December 20, 2009 by Frank White
If ever there was a situation that needed "overview thinking," it's the current debate over climate change and global warming.
Another Big Decision
December 12, 2009 by Frank White
President Obama was criticized for taking so long to make a decision about Afghanistan.
The Overview Effect for Everyone
December 07, 2009 by Frank White
Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Galactic is scheduled today to unveil the spacecraft that will carry thousands of people into orbit, starting in a few years.
Water on the Moon: What Next?
November 27, 2009 by Frank White
NASA recently ran an experiment in which they crashed a spacecraft into a lunar crater to see if they might detect water there. As it turned out, they did...
The Human Space Program
November 03, 2009 by Frank White
In The Overview Effect, I proposed a "Human Space Program" that would be global in scope, and would transcend all national programs.
Big Space, Little Space
September 23, 2009 by Frank White
Portions of the Augustine Commission's report to President Obama have now been made available, and it appears to me that they have gotten some of it right.
The Augustine Commission
September 08, 2009 by Frank White
The Augustine Commission is about to make its report to President Obama on options for NASA in the future.
Living in Space
August 04, 2009 by Frank White
If you ask most "space enthusiasts" whether they would like to live in space, they will say, "Yes!"
What Apollo Was About
August 02, 2009 by Frank White
I was watching the Apollo 11 celebration last night, and I saw something significant as I looked at the logo for the 40th anniversary of the landing.
Moon or Mars? Why Not Both?
July 20, 2009 by Frank White
It has seemed to me that the media has decided that the best way to entertain viewers is to have a debate called "Moon vs. Mars."
Isn't It Interesting?
July 19, 2009 by Frank White
Yes, isn't it interesting that, at the moment when the Obama Administration is expanding the government's reach...
A Major Milestone
July 18, 2009 by Frank White
We have just passed a major milestone on the current shuttle flight: the 500th human being has now flown into space.
Apollo 11 Revisited
July 15, 2009 by Frank White
Last night, I watched some of NASA's coverage of the Apollo 11 mission, and of the missions that led up to it.
Seeing the Earth from the Moon: The Impact of the Overview Effect
July 12, 2009 by Frank White
Most space exploration advocates are disappointed that the United States did not pursue a more assertive space policy after Apollo 11.
Why We Stopped at the Moon
July 11, 2009 by Frank White
Apollo 11 represented an incredible triumph of human ingenuity. Less than a decade after President Kennedy announced...
Apollo 11's 40th Anniversary
July 10, 2009 by Frank White
On July 20, we will celebrate the fortieth anniversary of the Apollo 11 landing on the moon.
Direct TV and the Overview Effect
May 19, 2009 by Frank White
I recently heard that DirectTV is now offering a channel that provides a direct feed from a satellite of views of the Earth from orbit.
The Overview Effect
March 05, 2009 by Frank White
The Overview Effect is the experience of seeing the Earth from space and realizing the inherent unity and oneness everything on the planet.
"We're All in this Together": Part Two
March 20, 0202 by Frank White
In an earlier version of this post, I talked about a phrase had come unbidden into my mind: “The virus is the immune system of the planet.”