How has the Earth changed in 58 years?: What the comparison between the iconic Apollo 8 and Artemis II photos of our planet reveals

When Apollo 8 commander Frank Borman saw the Earth rise over the gray, desolate surface of the Moon in 1968, it was not just a historic moment: it was the first time humanity had seen itself from the outside, as a small, colored dot floating in the void. That image, known as Earthrise, changed the way we think about the planet, and even led to the creation of Earth Day just two years later. Now, nearly six decades later, the astronauts on Artemis II have recreated that moment with a new photo called Earthset, once again showing our blue world from lunar orbit. But this time, the question is different: What has changed between these two photos? We like to think of the Earth as something permanent, but in just 58 years, the planet has changed more than it might seem. The common belief is that climate change is slow and almost invisible on a human scale, but space images tell a different story: in just over half a century, the planet's color and texture have changed so much that we can now see it even from the Moon. The message is clear: The Earth is changing at a rate that is no longer geological but human, and each generation of astronauts is unwittingly documenting it. Frank Borman, Bill Anders, and Jim Lovell were the stars of Apollo 8. Borman, who passed away in 2023, never imagined that his mission would be remembered more for a photo of the Earth than for lunar exploration. In his words: “I don't think any of us realized we were going to the Moon and be more interested in looking at the Earth.” This sentence sums up the unexpected twist: we travel to look outward, but we end up obsessed with what we leave behind. On the new Artemis II mission, the crew decided not to credit the Earthset photo to a single person, but to the entire team. Sian Proctor, an astronaut on the Inspiration mission, puts it this way: “Apollo 8 changed our view of the planet, and I think that's what we need right now: more inspiration.” Look at the hard data: since 1968, atmospheric carbon dioxide has risen by a third, and the global temperature has increased by at least one degree. Areas like the Antarctic Peninsula are warming faster than almost anywhere else, and 10,800 square miles of ice shelf have disappeared during that period, according to glaciologist Benjamin Wallis. The Aral Sea has shrunk to less than 10% of its original size. According to Petra Heil of the British Antarctic Survey, between 90% and 95% of these changes are due to human activity. The images show it: forests cleared, cities growing, and snow arriving later and melting earlier. But the comparison goes beyond science. Kathleen Rogers, president of the Earth Day Network, recalls that in 1968, although the Earth looked perfect from space, in cities like Los Angeles, the pollution was so thick you couldn't see across the street, and rivers were literally on fire. The beauty of the image stood in stark contrast to the disaster we were experiencing on the ground. However, that image inspired millions to found the environmental movement. There is a surprising detail: The famous Earthrise photo was taken purely by chance; it was not part of NASA's original plan. In contrast, for Artemis II, the agency made sure to replicate the moment, aware of the power an image has to change how we see the world. And although we now have thousands of satellites and cameras broadcasting the Earth in real time, nothing can replace the emotion of an image captured by a human being who decides, in an instant, which moment to capture. The opposite perspective to all this is to think that, with so much information and technology, photos no longer matter, that their impact is diluted by the excess of images. But the fact that NASA plans visual rituals like these proves the opposite: We still need that reminder that the Earth is finite, vulnerable, and unique. Witnessing these changes from the Moon compels us to view the planet as a fragile garden, not as an eternal possession. In a nutshell: In 58 years, the Earth has gone from being an unchanging backdrop to becoming a protagonist crying out for help in every photo. If this visual journey has made you see the planet in a different light, you can check I'm In on Lara Notes: that way, you declare that this idea is already part of how you see your world. And if you end up telling someone the story of the two photos—Apollo 8 and Artemis II—you can use Shared Offline to document that conversation that is worth remembering. This story comes from BBC News Mundo and saved you over eight minutes of reading time.