When Rabbi Hody Nemes heard about the murder of 6-year-old Wadea Al-Fayoume, he was horrified. Less than 24 hours later, he was on his way to the funeral. “I have a neighbor who’s an Afghan Muslim. And I walked across the lawn after the funeral and just told him how much I felt for him and how fearful I imagined he must feel,” Nemes told Blue Marble. “We shared a moment of connection that I think anyone can do. Anyone can go talk to their neighbors, to listen and to spread a little bit of light.”

Acts of antisemitism and Islamophobia have increased on U.S. college campuses since Oct. 7. At Syracuse University, Imam Amir Durić and Rabbi Ethan Bair are trying to lead the way by modeling, rather than mirroring, what is happening in the world.  “It is important to start with that human feeling,” Durić told Blue Marble. “If you suffer, [the] least I can do is to stand with you, to be in solidarity, and to show my support. And then I hope that you can do the same for me.”

“The war between Israel and Hamas was effectively started with a hostage crisis,” Dr. Danielle Gilbert told Blue Marble.

Before the Taliban came into power in 2021, 23-year-old artist Atena Soltani supported herself financially through art projects. Unable to have a normal life in Afghanistan under Taliban rule, she moved to Italy. Now, she transforms her challenges and concerns for girls living in Afghanistan into sketches. "I want people to understand that girls in Afghanistan don't have any human rights," she said. "I want to be a voice of protest against the silence of the world through my artworks."

"Only last week we were in Jerusalem, in the Dead Sea together, hundreds of Israeli and Palestinian women calling the leaders of both sides to begin negotiations before things escalated. We cannot live like this anymore. We deserve peace. All of us in this region." -Dr. Yael Braudo-Bahat, Women Wage Peace

Editor's note: On November 13, it was reported that Israeli officials had notified peace activist Vivian Silver's family that she had been killed in the Oct. 7 attack on Israel, not held hostage in Gaza as originally believed.

"My family's been waiting patiently in these decrepit refugee camps for 75 years. And it looks like now, they're going to be displaced again." - Fidaa Elaydi, Palestinian American

"I think for the first time in my life, I truly felt personally affected and moved and despairful about a political situation that's happening thousands of miles away." - Kevin Khadavi, Student at Stanford University

Much of Ukraine's buildings have been lost to the war. Could 3D printing be a solution? We spoke with Jean-Christophe Bonis of Team4UA.

It will take decades to clear Ukraine’s landmines. Without more women, it will be even slower — and more dangerous.

In 1972, an astronaut aboard Apollo 17 did something that wasn’t part of the mission plan: he took the first picture of the Earth. That “Blue Marble Shot,” as it came to be known, inspired a new view of the earth, creating “the overview effect.” Inspired by the iconic photo, our name seeks to capture the complexity, fragility, and beauty of the place we call home.

Blue Marble was founded by the Chicago Council on Global Affairs in 2023 to transform the way we see our world.

Across digital platforms, we introduce you to the people, places, and issues defining our world right now, in ways that cultivate curiosity, build confidence, and renew our collective commitment to solving global problems.

You can follow us on TikTok or Instagram for quick perspectives, read our latest stories for a deeper look, subscribe to our newsletter for daily updates. Get to know the Blue Marble crew, learn more about our approach, and tell us what you think.

At Blue Marble, like the Apollo 17 crew, we believe that remarkable things happen when the world comes into view.