TIMES RECORD • April 7, 2026
Explorations by the Artemis II are a really big deal — the first crewed moon mission since 1972 — and one that took humans farther away from Earth than ever before — more than 250,000 miles! One of the things about looking down at the Earth from space is that you see how obviously blue the planet is. The “blue marble” image taken by Apollo 17 showed the world with remarkable clarity how much of the Earth is water. With more than 70% of the Earth’s surface covered by water, it simultaneously makes me wonder why we know so little about the Earth’s oceans and also understand that their vastness makes it seem impossible that we will ever understand a fraction of what there is to learn. It is a humbling reminder of how little we know about our planet and, while this mission focuses on space, a reminder that there is so much more to be learned under the water and opportunities for exploration there as well. ~ Susan Olcott