Plot Summary

Though the concept of planet Earth as a ship pre-dates space travel, it wasn't until Apollo astronauts photographed "Earth rise" that the metaphor of Spaceship Earth—a term championed by futurist Buckminster Fuller in the 1960s—really captured the collective imagination. The idea of Earth as a finite entity hurling through a seemingly infinite and empty universe became a clarion call for sustainability and cooperation. But what does that really mean? Award-winning doc auteur Kevin McMahon travels across the globe to unpack what scientists have discovered about humanity's impact on the planet. Consulting some of the world's most prominent thinkers, including physicists, astronauts, anthropologists and geologists, Spaceship Earth is a beautiful, poetic film that offers insight and inspiration into how to change the hearts and minds of every person on this planet—a necessity if humans are to survive on the only vessel capable of sustaining us.