LONELY.

TL;DR

Michael Collins, an astronaut on the Apollo 11 mission, experienced extreme loneliness while orbiting the far side of the moon, the furthest a human has ever been from another human. This video explores the concept of loneliness and the vast distance between the moon and Earth.

Transcript

Hey, Vsauce Michael here, and I am back in New York City. And today, we're going to talk about loneliness. But first, I just learned this yesterday, Bear Grylls, the host of Man vs. Wild has three sons, and I'm not kidding, their names are Jesse, Huckleberry, and Marmaduke. Well, here's another name for you. Michael Collins. Not the Irish Revolutio... Read More

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🌾 Michael Collins, an astronaut on the Apollo 11 mission, experienced extreme loneliness while orbiting the far side of the moon.
• 👻 The moon is much further away from Earth than commonly perceived, and reflectors left on its surface allow scientists to accurately measure the distance.
• 💅 Voyager I, the furthest man-made object from Earth, carries a gold-plated record representing humanity, including a song chosen to represent loneliness.

Questions & Answers

Q: Why did Michael Collins have to stay in the command module while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on the moon?

Michael Collins had to remain in the command module to link up with Armstrong and Aldrin later, as the command module was responsible for their safe return to Earth.

Q: How did Michael Collins experience extreme loneliness while orbiting the moon?

When Collins orbited the far side of the moon, he lost all communication with Earth and the other astronauts for approximately 48 minutes, making him the most isolated human being at that time.

Q: How do scientists measure the distance between the Earth and the moon?

Scientists use reflectors left on the moon to shoot lasers at them and calculate the time it takes for the light to return, accurately determining the distance to the moon.

Q: What is the significance of Voyager I and the gold-plated record it carries?

Voyager I is the furthest man-made object from Earth and carries a gold-plated record containing information about humanity. One song on the record, "Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground" by blind Willie Johnson, represents the emotion of loneliness to potential extraterrestrial beings.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Michael Collins, part of the Apollo 11 crew, was left orbiting the moon alone while Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin walked on its surface.

• When Collins circled around to the far side of the moon, he lost all radio contact with Earth and the other astronauts, making him the loneliest human being.

• Reflectors left on the moon allow scientists to accurately measure the distance between the Earth and the moon, which is much greater than commonly perceived.