By Stefanie Koperniak
Veteran astronaut Sunita “Suni” Williams, whose 2024 eight-day test flight of the Boeing Starliner was expanded to a more than nine-month space mission, has had ample opportunities to view Earth from space. This vantagepoint has allowed her to observe firsthand how our planet is being affected by climate change.
“When you really start looking at our Earth, you can see that it is a system. The different parts of the Earth work together — they’re interactive,” said Williams, who was the first astronaut to run a marathon in space and recently ran the Boston Marathon. “It's amazing to be able to watch, and you realize it's not just a rock. It's really alive. You can see fields changing all throughout the middle part of the Earth. You can see deserts getting bigger. You can see glaciers getting smaller.”
Williams recently spoke to a standing-room-only audience of all ages at the MIT Museum as part of the second annual Day of Climate. Featuring hands-on activities for young learners, talks from leading climate voices such as Williams and MIT’s Sara Beery, and interactive experiences showcasing innovative climate work from across the Institute, the event sparked hands-on learning and inspired climate action and collaboration.