The 'Earthrise' photo from the Apollo 8 mission is widely considered one of the most copied and iconic photographs of all time. Taken by astronaut Bill Anders on December 24, 1968, it showed the Earth as a fragile, vulnerable sphere in the darkness of space, a perspective that profoundly influenced the environmental movement over the ensuing decades.
But now UK scientists are currently working on something that could turn out to be even more of a cultural gamechanger. A camera that aims to capture the first direct images of Earth-like planets orbiting distant stars… and may help us discover if we're alone in the universe.
