Our Moon: How Earth's Celestial Companion Transformed the Planet, Guided Evolution, and Made Us Who We Are

This book is a deep dive into the moon and it’s influence on the world and humans. The Moon’s gravity stabilized Earth’s orbit and climate, drawing nutrients to the primordial ocean that fostered complex life. While the Sun helped prehistoric hunters and gatherers mark time, early civilizations used the Moon’s phases to count months and years, planning ahead. Mesopotamian priests recorded the Moon’s position for predictions, creating the earliest scientific observations. Author Rebecca Boyle introduces readers to ancient astronomers and figures of the scientific revolution, including Johannes Kepler and his lunar science fiction.

Apollo astronauts’ landing in 1969 changed our relationship to the Moon, and it’s about to change again as governments and billionaires seek to profit from its resources. Boyle emphasizes that the Moon belongs to everyone but also to nobody simultaneously.