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Cosmos

by Carl Sagan

4.35 · Rating Details · 78,932 Ratings · 1,757 Reviews

Cosmos has 13 heavily illustrated chapters, corresponding to the 13 episodes of the Cosmos television series. In the book, Sagan explores 15 billion years of cosmic evolution and the development of science and civilization. Cosmos traces the origins of knowledge and the scientific method, mixing science and philosophy, and speculates to the future of science. The book also ...more

Mass Market Paperback, 384 pages

Published May 7th 2002 by Random House (first published 1980)

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Sep 08, 2007 Esther rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Everyone trying to understand themselves and the world around them

Can I give this one ten stars? If I had a religion, I would be a Carl Saganian. Love him so much.

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May 21, 2012 Huda Yahya rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favourites, philosophy, carl-sagan, science, sacred

إن تأملنا أنفسنا من منظور كوني
فإن كل واحد منا لا يقدر بثمن
إن خالفك إنساناً في الرأي ، فدعه يعيش
ففي مائة بليون مجرة لن تجد واحداً غيره
!

هذا باختصار هو كارل ساجان (أو سيجن) أيتها البشرية
واحد من أعظم العلماء الذين أنجبتهم هذه الأرض
ليس فقط لإسهاماته العلمية ، ولكن لإنسانيته التي تدعو حقاً للتأمل

في الحقيقة هذا الرجل يذهلني بقدرته على ربط الخيوط ببعضها وجعل العلم والفلسفة والأساطير والأدب مترابطين في مقالاته الساحرة ببهاء ورونق عجيب وخاص جدّاً

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إن كان لديك عزيز شغوف بالعلم ولا يعرف من أين يبدأ قراءاته عرّفه على كارل ساجان

فقلّما نجد عالِـماً يتمتّع بهذا القدر من الإنسانية وهذا الكمَ المهول من الثقافة

لم أجد عالِما بهذه الروح الشفافة سواه

إن عدم شرح العلم يبدو لي شيئاً غير منطقيا
فعندما نقع في الحب, تنتابنا رغبة في إخبار العالم بأسره

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هذا الكتاب لا غنى عنه لأي كائن حي
علمي فلسفي أدبي بطريقة سرد شديدة المتعة

كارل لا يكتب للمتخصصين لذا لا تقلق بشأن صعوبة المحتوى
فهذا الرجل سيمتعك بدرجة لن تجدها في أي كتب علمية أخرى
بل ولا في كثير من كتب الفلسفة والأدب

ﻛﺎن اﺳﻤﻬﺎ “ﻫﻴﺒﺎﺗﻴﺎ”. وﻗﺪ وﻟﺪت ﻓﻲ اﻹﺳﻜﻨﺪرﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم 73 ﺑﻌﺪ الميلاد. وﻓﻲ اﻟﻮﻗﺖ اﻟﺬي ﻟﻢ ﺗﻜﻦ ﺗﻮﺟﺪ ﻓﻴﻪ ﺳﻮى ﺧﻴﺎرات ﻗﻠﻴﻠﺔ ﻟﻠﻨﺴﺎء وﻛﻦ ﻳﻌﺎﻣﻠﻦ ﺑﺎﻋﺘﺒﺎرﻫﻦ ﻣﻘﺘﻨﻴﺎت ﻓـﺈن ﻫـﻴـﺒـﺎﺗـﻴـﺎ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﺗﺘﺤﺮك ﺑﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﻋﻔﻮﻳﺔ ﻓﻲ أوﺳﺎط ﻳﺘﺤﻜﻢ ﻓﻴﻬﺎ اﻟﺬﻛﻮر ﺗﻘﻠﻴﺪﻳﺎ. ﻛﺎﻧﺖ ﺣﺴﺐ ﻛﻞ المﻘﺎﻳﻴﺲ ﻋﻠﻰ درﺟﺔ ﻛﺒﻴﺮة ﻣﻦ الجمال وﺗﻘـﺪم ﻟـﻬـﺎ اﻟـﻜـﺜـﻴـﺮ ﻣـﻦ اﻟﺮاﻏبين ﻓﻲ اﻟﺰواج ﻟﻜﻨﻬﺎ رﻓﻀﺖ ﻛﻞ اﻟﻌﺮوض.

وقفت ﻫﻴﺒﺎﺗﻴﺎ ﻓـﻲ ﻣﺮﻛﺰ زﻟﺰال ﻫﺬه اﻟﻘﻮى اﻻﺟﺘﻤﺎﻋﻴﺔ الجبارة. وﻛﺎن ﺳـﻴـﺮﻳـﻞ رﺋـﻴـﺲ أﺳـﺎﻗـﻔـﺔ اﻹﺳﻜﻨﺪرﻳﺔ ﻳﺤﺘﻘﺮﻫﺎ ﺑﺴﺒﺐ ﺻﺪاﻗﺘﻬﺎ اﻟﻘﻮﻳﺔ ﻣﻊ الحاكم اﻟﺮوﻣﺎﻧـﻲ وﻷﻧـﻬـﺎ ﻛﺎﻧﺖ رﻣﺰا ﻟﻠﻌﻠﻢ واﻟﺘﻌﻠﻢ اﻟﻠﺬﻳﻦ اﻋﺘﺒﺮا ﻣﻦ ﻗﺒﻞ اﻟﻜﻨﻴﺴﺔ ﻣﻨﺬ أﻳﺎﻣﻬﺎ اﻷوﻟـﻰ ﻣﻦ اﻟﻮﺛﻨﻴﺔ.

واﺳﺘﻤﺮت ﻫﻴﺒﺎﺗﻴﺎ – ﺑﺎﻟﺮﻏﻢ ﻣﻦ الخطر اﻟﺸﺨﺼﻲ اﻟﺬي ﻳﻬﺪدﻫﺎ- ﻓﻲ اﻟﺘﻌﻠﻴﻢ واﻟﻨﺸﺮ ﺣﺘﻰ ﺟﺎء ذﻟﻚ اﻟﻴﻮم المشئوم ﻓﻲ ﻋﺎم ٥١٤ ﻋﻨﺪﻣﺎ ﻫﺎﺟﻤﻬﺎ وﻫﻲ ﻓﻲ ﻃﺮﻳﻘﻬﺎ إﻟﻰ اﻟﻌﻤﻞ ﻋﺪد ﻣﻦ اﻟﺮﻋﺎع المتعصبين التابعين ﻷﺑـﺮﺷـﻴـﺔ ﺳﻴﺮﻳﻞ وﺳﺤﺒﻮﻫﺎ ﻣﻦ ﻋﺮﺑﺘﻬﺎ وﻣﺰﻗﻮا ﻣﻼﺑﺴﻬﺎ وﻓﺼﻠﻮا لحمها ﻋﻦ ﻋﻈﺎﻣﻬﺎ ﺑﺄﺻﺪاف ﺑﺤﺮﻳﺔ ﺣﺎدة
ﺛﻢ ﺣﺮﻗﻮا ﻣﺎ ﺑﻘﻲ ﻣﻨﻬﺎ وﻃﻤﺴﻮا ﻣﺆﻟـﻔـﺎﺗـﻬـﺎ. ﻧُﺴﻴﺖ ﻫﻴﺒﺎﺗﻴﺎ أﻣﺎ ﺳﻴﺮﻳﻞ ﻓﻘﺪ ﺟﻌﻞ ﻗﺪﻳﺴﺎ

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النجوم هي أصدقاء المكتشفين
في الماضي
عندما كانوا يسافرون عبرالسفن البحرية في الأرض
والآن
إذ يسافرون عبر السفن الفضائية في السماء

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الخيال يحملنا غالبا إلى عوالم لم تكن موجودة قط
ولكننا لن نذهب دونه إلى أي مكان

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إن سطح الكرة الأرضية هو شاطئ المحيط الكوني ومنه تعلمنا أغلب مانعرفه، ومؤخرا نزلنا قليلا إلى البحر وبما يكفي لتبليل أصابع أقدامنا فقط ، أو ربما وصلت الماء إلى رسغ القدم. ولكن الماء يبدو جذابا، والمحيط يدعونا إليه وثمة جزء من كياننا يدرك أننا جئنا من هذا المكان
ونحن نشتاق إلى العودة

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إننا نشبه الفراشات التي ترفرف يوماً فتحسبه الأبدية

كارل مع زوجته آن درويان
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أعترف
أنا واقعة في غرام كارل ساجان
أين يمكنك أن تجد عالم فيزياء يقول كلمات كهذه؟

إن كوكبنا الأزرق الجميل هو الوطن الوحيد الذي نعرفه، فالزهرة ساخنة جدًا والمريخ بارد جدًا، ولكن الأرض هي المكان المناسب للبشر، وبعد كل شيء فقد تطورنا هنا، ولكن مناخنا المتجانس قد يكون غير مستقر، والسؤال هو هل هناك خطر من تحويل بيئة الأرض إلى ما يشبه كوكب الزهرة الجهنمي أو العصر الجليدي للمريخ؟
والجواب هو أنه لا أحد يعرف

إن الأرض عالم دقيق وهش .. ويحتاج إلى الحنان

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روح هذا الرجل تستحق التأمل
أحب هذا المقطع له مع الصغار كثيراً
<3

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-OhweQ...

كيف لي ألّا أقع في غرام هذا الإنسان الرائع
لقد أمتعني ولا يزال بكتبه المدهشة وعلمه وإهتمامه بالإنسانية وكوكب الأرض
لديه قدرة على جعلك مشدوداً تماماً ،،مستمتعاً،، ومُنتشياً

وأينما كنت أيها النتاج الرائع من غبار النجوم
فلك حبي دوماً

إقرأوا لكارل ساجان
إقرأوا لكارل ساجان

على الهامش

النسخة المترجمة للكتاب حذفت ثلاثة فصول كاملين أعتقد لترابطها بمفاهيم نشأة الأرض والأديان

لمشاهدة الحلقات التليفزيونية كاملة
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=...

...more

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Nov 02, 2012 Samadrita rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: cherished, gen-non-fiction-essays-critique, the-cosmos-beckons, in-by-about-america, 1001-and-more, re-readable, adoration, hugo-nebula-locus-awards, omg-aliens, science

I wonder what Carl Sagan may have thought of 9/11 and the world in the new millennium, a strife-torn place which is being shaken up and shaken out every moment. I imagine the civil but slightly horrified and slightly bemused tone he may have employed while talking about the Iraq and Afghanistan wars and the antics of the Bush administration which have become such excellent fodder for stand up comedians the world over. And I can almost detect the note of boyish enthusiasm in his voice while he ma ...more

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Dec 20, 2014 Kalliope rated it it was amazing

Shelves: popular-science, 2015, cosmos

The Star system in GR is absolutely inadequate for rating this book.

Gosh, I should not use the term ‘absolutely’ for something in which everything orbits around relativity.

Anyway, I think something like this would give a better idea of my opinion about this book: my rating is an universe of zillions to the power of zillions of stars, …and expanding.

My rating:

What a brilliant read this has been. I have read it very slowly; one chapter a week. But what are thirteen weeks in relation to cosmic ti ...more

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Oct 04, 2010 Saud Omar rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

من مدونتي: ثمانون كتابا بحثا عن مخرج

https://saudomar.wordpress.com

***

لو كنت سوف أقرأ كتاب علمياً واحداً في حياتي, بل لو كنت سوف أقراء كتاباً بشرياً واحداً, سوف أختار كتاب الكون لكارل ساغان.

عادة يكون هدف الكتب العلمية التي تكتب لغير المختصين هو تبسيط المعلومة, لكن كتاب الكون يسلك مسلكا أخر, كتاب الكون كتاب يتأمل في الكون.

يحوي كتاب الكون ثلاثة عشر فصلاً, هذه الفصول كتبت بأسلوب غير تراكمي؛ بمعنى أنك تستطيع قراءة أي فصل دون أن تقرأ الفصول التي قبله, وتتباين هذه الفصول في مواضيعها وفي مجالات هذه المو ...more

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Oct 30, 2008 Daniella rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: Angela; anyone who loves science

Recommended to Daniella by: my Aunt Gail

Shelves: non-fiction, science, favorites, history, to-buy, rereadable, sagan, 2008

I'm not sure what I could possibly say about Cosmos that hasn't already been said by countless others in the 28 years since its publication, and likely in a far more intelligent and eloquent way than I ever could. But upon recently reading this book for the first time (which may seem a bit belated, but I am, after all, only 23) it instantly became one of my favorites, a status not easily attained by any book, and so I feel compelled to say something, to expound upon its many virtues and why it h I'm not sure what I could possibly say about Cosmos that hasn't already been said by countless others in the 28 years since its publication, and likely in a far more intelligent and eloquent way than I ever could. But upon recently reading this book for the first time (which may seem a bit belated, but I am, after all, only 23) it instantly became one of my favorites, a status not easily attained by any book, and so I feel compelled to say something, to expound upon its many virtues and why it has endeared itself to me so completely.

"One glance at [a book:] and you hear the voice of another person--perhaps someone dead for thousands of years. Across the millennia, the author is speaking, clearly and silently, inside your head, directly to you. Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another. Books break the shackles of time."

Perhaps prophetically, this is exactly the effect the late great Dr. Sagan acheived with this book. Through the power and fluid elegance of his prose, while reading Cosmos I could almost hear that familiar and somehow majestic voice (which in large part, I believe, made the PBS miniseries of the same name so wholly entrancing), as if the two of us were old friends having a leisurely, albeit profoundly intellectual, chat over coffee. Not exactly what one might expect from a book largely concerned with science, but this is just one of many qualities that makes it not only endearing to the reader, but also--and perhaps more importantly--accessible, making even the smattering of complex equations seem casual and undaunting.

Aside from the beauty of its prose, which is at times poetic in its depth and its eloquence, Cosmos is also wholly engaging and fascinating in the depth and scope of its subects. Sagan succinctly and expertly covers everything from the birth of stars to the birth of science, the origins of life on Earth to the possibility of life on other planets, and our far distant and recent (in the grand cosmic scheme of things) past to the possibilities for our distant future. And yes, because science is constantly evolving and, as Dr. Sagan states, self-correcting, some of the information and theories covered may now be outdated, but I still believe that Cosmos is well worth reading. Not only can it serve as a friendly, accessible, and engrossing jumping-off point for we common folk who are interested in delving deeper into science but may feel a bit intimidated, it is also, if nothing else, worth reading for the beautifully poignant and evocative insights and the oft-philosophical tidbits contained therein.

"We are the local embodiment of the Cosmos grown to self-awareness. We have begun to contemplate our origins: starstuff pondering the stars...."

My only complaints about Cosmos are these: the last two or three chapters lag just a bit, incorporating several topics that seem extraneous and unnecessary, and somewhat lose the smooth, easy flow present throughout the rest of the book; and though I feel that, in the current world political climate, the section discussing nuclear arms is still as relevant today as then, I can't help but think that anybody above the age of 12 and possessing a fully-functioning cerebral cortex is already aware of the potential consequences of nuclear war (gamma burst, radiation poisoning, junk in the atmosphere, nuclear winter, death, doom, destruction, we get it already). However, I can concede on this last point that, at the time of publication, the aftermath of a full-scale nuclear war was perhaps still a pretty hot topic. And in the grand scheme, these negative points make up only a negligible fraction of this otherwise fantastic book, and do not in anyway detract from its intrinsic value or from its overall enjoyability.

All in all, Cosmos is a thoroughly enthralling read that takes you on a breath-taking journey from the inception of the Universe to futures that may never be, and allows us to ponder--when considering our own epic journey from starstuff to "assemblages of a billion billion billion atoms contemplating the evolution of atoms"--what it truly means to be human and what our place, our purpose, is in the vast expanse of "this Cosmos in which we float like a mote of dust in the morning sky". ...more

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Jun 10, 2014 rahul rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: favorites

A five stars to this book.
Stars borrowed from skies that I witnessed when I was eight or maybe ten and would wake up early at pre-dawn, because that was the best time for star gazing after all.

To read Mr.Sagan, the words so simple describing the Universe so complex. To read a small passage and follow it up with a sleep filled with dreams of all those stars dying and being born every passing moment.
To recall, days of childish innocence gazing towards the infinite.Gazing in anticipation of recog ...more

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Feb 28, 2009 Bettie☯ rated it really liked it

Shelves: lifestyles-deathstyles, sciences, history, environmental-issues, nonfiction, published-1980, ancient-history, medical-eew, epic-proportions, dinosaurs, eye-scorcher, astronomy, casual-violence, gulp, a-questing-we-shall-go, entomology, nature, tick-tock-clocks, deadlines-whoosing-by, gone-native, fascinating-fayre, beautifully-put, back-to-basics, cosmic-archaeology, anthropic-mania, re-visit-2016, evolution, autumn-2016

Re-visit 2016:

1: The Shores of the Cosmic Ocean: After an introduction by Ann Druyan, including the benefits of the end of the Cold War, Carl Sagan opens the program with a description of the cosmos and a "Spaceship of the Imagination" (shaped like a dandelion seed). The ship journeys through the universes' hundred billion galaxies, the Local Group, the Andromeda Galaxy, the Milky Way, the Orion Nebula, our Solar System, and finally the planet Earth. Eratosthenes' attempt to calculate the circum ...more

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Nov 06, 2016 Abubakar Mehdi rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

“ The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us - there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries. ”

With these lines, we hop on Sagan’s ‘ship of imagination’ to visit distant worlds of Quasars, Pulsars, Black holes and Galaxies that are billions of light years away from us. A peak into the Cosmos.

Sagan is a p “ The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be. Our feeblest contemplations of the Cosmos stir us - there is a tingling in the spine, a catch in the voice, a faint sensation, as if a distant memory, of falling from a height. We know we are approaching the greatest of mysteries. ”

With these lines, we hop on Sagan’s ‘ship of imagination’ to visit distant worlds of Quasars, Pulsars, Black holes and Galaxies that are billions of light years away from us. A peak into the Cosmos.

Sagan is a poet-scientist, he uses beautiful metaphors and aphorisms that are never too far from what an ordinary person can grasp. The style is lucid. The knowledge ranges from Mathematics to history, from ancient Greece to NASA. Building on the works of geniuses who introduced us to this fascinating, mind boggling universe of ours.

After giving us a general idea of our ‘cosmic address’, Sagan moves on to Darwin and his discovery of Natural Selection as the engine of Evolution. This has to be one of the finest explanations of Darwinian Natural Selection, where Sagan uses the extra-ordinary example Heike crabs, to demonstrate the strange but beautiful ways in which ‘survival of the fittest’ is manifested. But he doesn’t keep us here for long. After giving the best possible ‘lecture’ on Evolution, he takes us further to see the harmony of the worlds. the planets and how the stars follow fixed patterns that can be mathematically explained; a most singular achievement of humans to have discovered the language of the Nature. Kepler gave us the laws of planetary motion. Laws that not just explained the elliptical orbit of Earth, but inspired a generation of mathematicians and physicists to inquire further into the nature and behaviour of the heavenly bodies.

A world so strange, complex and inaccessible has been made fascinating, understandable and rather accessible by the works of men and women who devoted their lives to Science and Cosmos. A world that is far more rich and awe-inspiring than the meagre and myth-ridden fairytales that we content ourselves with. We settle for too little.

As the book progresses, Sagan’s obsession with extra-terrestrial life becomes more and more apparent. He admits that as a child, he spent hours contemplating about the possibility of intelligent life on other planets. Although our search for intelligent life has been a failure (even on Earth), Sagan aspires to make contact with the dwellers of distant worlds. The possibility of life elsewhere, is not too ‘fantastic’ altogether. As we observe the immensity of the observable universe, we can be more than certain that life does exist elsewhere but we don’t know what it will be like. Space travel and Alien Contact are not stuff of science fiction anymore but a possibility in waiting.

The concluding chapters touch on two matters of colossal significance, namely Nuclear Weapons and Climate Change. These two man-made disasters are a ticking time bomb that can obliterate our species, and we have done precious little to stop them. We are destroying this planet, poisoning our oceans and destroying Specie after specie for centuries now. Man is without a doubt the most deadly predator in the history of Earth Life. And now we are on the path to self-annihilation.

And this book is a wakeup call. A world ridden with ignorance and greed, will need to forego the idiotic bliss of being certain about everything. We don’t need good answers to everything, what we need instead are good questions. A good question is often times more educating than its answer. How can we love this world if we are awaiting an apocalypse, how can we love our environment and its safe keepers, the plants and the animals, without recognising that they are our distant cousins. Life, wherever it exists on this planet, is our kin. And we are bullying, butchering and asphyxiating it everywhere. What a shame !

This is the kind of book that we must read and re-read. A book we must gift our children on their 12th birthdays. If you haven’t read it yet and you are over 12, do your self a favour and read it.

Because Carl Sagan does more than just educate you about the wonders of Science and the Universe; he makes you fall in love with it. ...more

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Aug 10, 2008 Z rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: Absolutely everybody

Shelves: favourites, 2008

Let's put it simply. Cosmos is required reading for everyone who lives on this planet. It will give you a sense of perspective that nothing else can -- no lofty ideology, no omniscient religion, no inspiring quotations can explain things quite as clearly as Carl Sagan's treatise on science, reality, and the nature of things in this universe. Mind-bending and dazzling, and best of all, uncluttered by confusing scientific terminology. A book worthy of all the positive superlatives I can think of b ...more

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Jan 27, 2008 Rob rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: puny carbon-based life-forms crawling on this mostly-wet little planet

Shelves: all-time-favorites, science, evolution, history, 2008

A gorgeous book in every possible way. From the lush illustration and clever diagrams clear through to Sagan's lyrical and at times whimsical narrative, this is the science book for non-scientists. (And if you are a scientist, may this be a lesson in how to tell your story.) Sagan makes the astronomy and the math and the mind-boggling complexity of the universe not only comprehensible but palatable. He wraps up our history as a species into the history of the universe (such that we can even know ...more

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Apr 27, 2007 Deb rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: No One

Shelves: theology, science

This book was my bible when I was an enemy of God. As a stubbornly devout atheist, this was the book I turned to for justification of my proud and arrogant rejection of my Creator. Instead of reading this pile of conjecture, I recommend reading the Holy Bible (then get on your knees and repent before the holy God who gave you life and sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to pay the penalty for your lawlessness and sin). :-)

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Sep 12, 2007 Tony rated it it was amazing

Recommends it for: anyone with an interest in science

Shelves: science

The best book ever written.

A masterful work encompassing the whole of human existence and the universe, with a focus on science.

Sagan discusses
- evolution,
- Kepler, astrology and acceptance of truth in spite of what outcome is desired,
- Venus and Mars, including the made-up belief of life on Mars a century ago,
- the Voyager spacecrafts' Grand Tour of the Outer Planets (a rare alignment),
- ancient Greek scientists,
- Relativity,
- atoms, elements, and how star make them,
- Creation Myths, incl Hin ...more

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Oct 22, 2015 Speranza rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: kindle, my-gems

As a child, I was fascinated and mesmerised by our world. It looked so huge, so full of wonders. Еverything was a source of marvel and inspiration. The world, the Earth, waited to be discovered and I had a long life ahead of me to do that.

Then, in teenage years, I already knew all there was to know about life, people, the Earth and the Universe. Nobody could tell me any better. The new source of wonder had become love – falling in love, finding the purpose in another human being, the complete m As a child, I was fascinated and mesmerised by our world. It looked so huge, so full of wonders. Еverything was a source of marvel and inspiration. The world, the Earth, waited to be discovered and I had a long life ahead of me to do that.

Then, in teenage years, I already knew all there was to know about life, people, the Earth and the Universe. Nobody could tell me any better. The new source of wonder had become love – falling in love, finding the purpose in another human being, the complete merging of body and soul.

Once I entered the world of adults, I realised that I knew nothing. I strived for a higher purpose which, it turned out, was extremely hard to find in between a daily job that gives you no thrill, the same four walls you hide behind every night, and the usual faces that say the same words day in day out. The mundanity and routine that sustain a human life make it really hard to notice this same life. Wine and poetry help the cause to some extent, but they pull one out of Earth’s gravity for very short instances only.

I have been at a crossroads lately, which shattered the illusive security of existence and made me anxious, itching with questions, sleepless, feeling an urge I couldn’t define. And then I started to seek answers, cosmic answers.
Suddenly, it feels like a meteorite has hit my little planet. I read with eyes wide-open, with the naïveté of a toddler, with a remarkable ignorance and with an insatiable thirst to learn more. I feel like a child again! I feel in love again! I feel my senses being heightened and my pulse rushing. Carl Sagan made me feel like a scientist. For I have made a wonderful discovery - the nutrient of my little earthly life is curiosity – no step for the Cosmos, one giant leap for the cosmic speck of dust that I am.

I could talk for hours about how beautiful and captivating I found Cosmos to be. It made me crave knowledge of the unknown. It made my underdeveloped imagination burst with colourful visions. It made my stunted mind race. I savoured every word, embraced every idea. I guess for someone who has read a lot on the subject I look like a newly hatched chicken, struggling to make its first steps. I have been intimidated by physics and chemistry all my life and now it is time to catch up.

My gut tells me that Sagan is not right in completely rejecting astrology, the occult or religion, but I choose to trust him because he has managed to put into simple words concepts that have scared away so many people for so long. His narrative voice is the perfect combination of a bright mind and humility. It is subtle and guiding, not patronizing. It is human and it is humane – it makes you believe you can understand and dream beyond the boundaries of your own mind.
Sagan was a great scientist, but I think his greatest achievement is that he made science accessible and interesting to his fellow human beings. His venture to bring the Cosmos closer to humans might eventually pay off in helping bring humans closer to the Cosmos.

There is so much more I want to say, but I don’t have words for all thoughts that Cosmos provoked in me. I feel ashamed that my review of this monumental work revolves around my little nichtigkeit, but, after all, even the biggest galaxies are made of the smallest particles.
...more

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Mar 21, 2017 Tara rated it liked it · review of another edition

“Occasionally someone remarks on what a lucky coincidence it is that the Earth is perfectly suitable for life—moderate temperatures, liquid water, oxygen atmosphere, and so on. But this is, at least in part, a confusion of cause and effect. We earthlings are supremely well adapted to the environment of the Earth because we grew up here. Those earlier forms of life that were not well adapted died. We are descended from the organisms that did well. Organisms that evolve on a quite different world

“Occasionally someone remarks on what a lucky coincidence it is that the Earth is perfectly suitable for life—moderate temperatures, liquid water, oxygen atmosphere, and so on. But this is, at least in part, a confusion of cause and effect. We earthlings are supremely well adapted to the environment of the Earth because we grew up here. Those earlier forms of life that were not well adapted died. We are descended from the organisms that did well. Organisms that evolve on a quite different world will doubtless sing its praises too.”

Cosmos contained a great deal of information, much of which was engaging. The subject matter presented includes: a history of humanity’s quest for understanding and notable scientific discoveries, evolution and genetics, some basic chemistry and physics (including a brief description of relativity), and, of course, astronomy. The following are some of the astronomy topics covered: the Big Bang, the life cycles of stars, details about many of our solar system’s planets and their satellites, information on a few NASA space missions, and speculation about intelligent alien life.

Overall, while Cosmos was a very comprehensive summary of many different branches of knowledge, I really didn’t care for Sagan’s writing style. The first issue I had with his style is that he was often overly lyrical/mystical in tone. The text was abundantly peppered with phrases such as “the bastion and the citadel of the stars.” In my opinion, science and math are beautiful just as they are, and so dressing them up in flowery language is overkill, and can even be counterproductive. An example of this type of thing occurred when Sagan discussed nuclear fusion in stars, and where heavier chemical elements come from. This is a truly fascinating process. But then Sagan goes on to state that: “The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.” I’m assuming he included that last sentence because he wanted readers to feel pretty pleased with ourselves…we’re all literally made out of stars! Far out! How cool are we? But if you think about it, excrement can lay claim to the same stellar forebears, which somewhat diminishes that beautiful, lofty sentiment we’re (presumably) supposed to be feeling about ourselves.

My other issue with the writing is that, when it was not waxing poetic, it tended to be far too dumbed down. True, he was trying to reach a very large audience, many of whom have no background in science. That said, it would have been nice to read a book written for grown-ups.

Overall, the book was just okay for me. Maybe it’s more exciting to those who haven’t taken an Intro to Astronomy course. If you’ve already studied Astronomy 101, however, there is nothing in either the writing or the personal opinions presented herein that qualify this as a must-read book. ...more

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Oct 31, 2016 ade_reads rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Humans... How little we are. How little we know.

Finally I finished this book last night at about 23:00. This is one of the best popular scientific books that I have read. This book is well written, reads like a mystery novel and is a great source of interesting information. Scientific information is explained in "simple reader" language.

The focus in this book is on astronomy : how big is our universe, how old it is, how it "works", etc. Sagan pays a lot of attention to stars and galaxies, but al ...more

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Apr 17, 2016 Rahman rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, history, science, religion, favorites, physics, astronomy

In the beginning there was a bang, and it was big. Stupendous. The universe as we know it, began. Time itself started to tick and tock. Space was appearing seemingly out of nothingness, as it continues to do so still. Intense heat and energy were produced. And from them matter coalesced. And so stars formed. And from stars everything else sprang into existence: more stars, galaxies, the glorious milky way, our spectacular sun, our caring earth, our gorgeous moon shortly thereafter, and finally, ...more

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Aug 25, 2016 Pawan Mishra rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science

It has always made me very curious how science touches many other seemingly different subjects of history, philosophy, and religion. This book is really very impressive. A story of 15 billion years of the cosmos compressed in this relatively smaller book! Easy to read and understand, Carl Sagan's Cosmos draws the reader into a world so vivid and realistic that it's hard not to be mesmerized throughout while reading this book.

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Jun 17, 2016 Shahad takleef rated it it was amazing

The surface of the Earth is the shore of the cosmic ocean. On this shore, we've learned most of what we know. Recently, we've waded a little way out, maybe ankle-deep, and the water seems inviting.
Some part of our being knows this is where we came from.
We long to return
and we can .
because the cosmos is also within us. We're made of starstuff

i don't think i'll ever give 5 stars more wholeheartedly as i am doing now ..
5 shimmering , eye-blindingly shinning stars , the brightest suns GR has in ...more

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Nov 22, 2014 Nərmin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Recommends it for: EVERY PERSON WHO LIVES ON EARTH

Shelves: favorites, nonfiction-science, classics, best-standalone, beautiful-covers

It took me long to read it, but it was worth it. First thing that captivates me that despite being a nonfiction scientific book, Carl Sagan described the whole universe, explained the science in such a poetic and eloquent way that you would think he is a romantic poet! And the parts about his childhood and his enthusiasm for astronomy, for cosmos were the cutest and beautiful thing I have ever read. I saw myself, my passion for space in him, in his writings. And best part of this book was the in ...more

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Jan 01, 2014 Aljoharah Alobaikan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: top-read

كتاب رائع استفدت منه كثيرا وأشعر بالخجل لأني لم أقرأه حتى الان فهو كتاب معرفي علمي مهم.
يقدم الكتاب التسلسل التاريخي للفضاء والكون والشغف الانساني الى كل أسرار الكون والفضاء.
هذا الكتاب عبارة عن رحلة عبر الزمان والمكان مرورا بالحضارات القديمة الى المستقبل الحديث,باسلوب مميز يقدم الكاتب شرحا مبسطا عن كيفية نشوء الكون وتاريخ المجموعة الشمسية والاجرام السماوية ,كما يقدم شرحا مبسطا لنظرية النسبية والانفجار العظيم وعلم تطور الانسان ويسلط الضوء على قلة احتمال بقاء الكون كما هو بسبب انتشار الاسلحة البيول كتاب رائع استفدت منه كثيرا وأشعر بالخجل لأني لم أقرأه حتى الان فهو كتاب معرفي علمي مهم.
يقدم الكتاب التسلسل التاريخي للفضاء والكون والشغف الانساني الى كل أسرار الكون والفضاء.
هذا الكتاب عبارة عن رحلة عبر الزمان والمكان مرورا بالحضارات القديمة الى المستقبل الحديث,باسلوب مميز يقدم الكاتب شرحا مبسطا عن كيفية نشوء الكون وتاريخ المجموعة الشمسية والاجرام السماوية ,كما يقدم شرحا مبسطا لنظرية النسبية والانفجار العظيم وعلم تطور الانسان ويسلط الضوء على قلة احتمال بقاء الكون كما هو بسبب انتشار الاسلحة البيولوجية مما سيؤدي ليس فقط القضاء على الارث الانساني وانما ايضا القضاء على كل اشكال الحياة على كوكب الارض.
قراءتي لهذا الكتاب جعلتني اشعر كم هي الحياة قصيرة وكم هو صغير هذا الكوكب (الأرض) وكم هو عظيم هذا الوجود الذي نعيش فيه وكم هي عظيمة قدرة الخالق العظيم سبحانه وتعالى
كم هو مميز كوكبنا الجميل عن بقية الكواكب بأشكال الحياة فيه.
الكتاب مقسم الى10 فصول وأعتقد ان النسخة الاصلية قسم الكتاب الى 13 فصلا ولا أعلم لماذا حذفت من الترجمة العربية.
الترجمة اعتقد انها عادية وكان من الممكن ان تكون أفضل بالأضافة لبعض الأخطاء المطبعية.
لم أشاهد المسلسل التلفزيوني الذي رافق اصدار الكتاب وقد سمعت عنه الكثير وسأحاول ان اجد الوقت لمشاهدته .
كتاب مميز وأعتقد انه ليس فقط للمختصين ومن المهم أن يقرأه الجميع. ...more

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Feb 13, 2015 Laila rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science-fiction

"Okumaya neden bu kadar gec kalmisim ki?" diye kendi kendime sordum bitirdigimde. Inceleme yazmak icin biraz bekledim. Cunku ne yazmaliyim ya da kafamdakileri nasil anlatmaliyim bir fikrim yoktu ilk defa. Beni en cok etkileyen seylerden biri Iskenderiye Kutuphanesi yakilinca neleri yitirdigimize dair anlatinin oldugu bolumdu sanirim. Carl Sagan adi zaten kitaba, icerige, kaliteye dair soyleyecek cok sey birakmiyor. Keyifle okudum.

Belgeselden de asina oldugumuz okumadan once konu hakkinda on ara ...more

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Nov 29, 2015 ريهام يوسف rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: science, ثالثة-إعدادي

كتاب رائع
هو مش بيتكلم عن نظريات ف الكون او قوانين فيزيائية او رياضية والحاجات دي يعني زي م انا كنت متوقعة ..
هو بيتكلم عن كل حاجه ف الكون ، بيتكلم عن نظرية داروين التطور ، عن الكواكب الثانية وطبيعتها، عن اسكندرية زمان لما كانت مركز نشر العلم ف العالم ، عن الوقت الي اكتشفوا فيه الامريكتين والتجارب الي فشلت ف اكتشافها قبل كده ، عن السفر عبر الزمان ودلل ع ده بأن الحاجة الي زمان كانت بتخلص ف شهور بقت بتخلص ف دقايق دلوقتي ..
بيتكلم عن علماء كتير وتجاربهم وحبهم للعلم من عصور قبل الميلاد لحد دلوقتي ..

كان كتاب رائع
هو مش بيتكلم عن نظريات ف الكون او قوانين فيزيائية او رياضية والحاجات دي يعني زي م انا كنت متوقعة ..
هو بيتكلم عن كل حاجه ف الكون ، بيتكلم عن نظرية داروين التطور ، عن الكواكب الثانية وطبيعتها، عن اسكندرية زمان لما كانت مركز نشر العلم ف العالم ، عن الوقت الي اكتشفوا فيه الامريكتين والتجارب الي فشلت ف اكتشافها قبل كده ، عن السفر عبر الزمان ودلل ع ده بأن الحاجة الي زمان كانت بتخلص ف شهور بقت بتخلص ف دقايق دلوقتي ..
بيتكلم عن علماء كتير وتجاربهم وحبهم للعلم من عصور قبل الميلاد لحد دلوقتي ..

كان بيحكي بالظبط ايام المركبة الفضائية فواياجير وهى بتهبط ع كواكب المجموعة الشمسية ، وخرجت عن المجموعة الشمسية .
عن ازاي بيصرفوا مليارات عشان يصنعوا مركبة فضائية تجبلهم معلومات بسيطة من الكواكب والمركبة دي مينفعش ترجع الارض ..

****
السنة الضوئية بتساوي 9496 مليار كم
دلوقتي احنا لما بنبص لمجرة او نجم بعيييد جدا ، ف احنا بنبص للماضي بتاعة
يعني مثلا لو مسافة بين الارض ونجم معين 100 سنة ضوئية ، يعني الضوء بياخد 100 سنة عشان يوصلنا ، يعني لو النجم لسا مولود ، ف احنا هنشوفه بعد 100 سنة ضوئية ، يعني الوقت الي هنشوف النجم ده بيتولد ، هيكون النجم ده عنده 100 سنة ضوئية.
نتكلم بمنظور اكبر ، الكوارزات ودي حاجة بعيدة جدا جدا ف الفضاء وضخمة جدا ، في كذا رأي فيها زي انها مجموعة ضخمة من المجرات ،، المهم انها حاجة بعيدة جدا جدا ومع ذلك العلماء شافوا ضوءها ، ف ده معناه انها حاجة ضخمة اوي عشان نشوفها رغم بعدها ..
الكوارزات هى ابعد حاجة العلماء وصلولها ف الفضاء ، ابعد كوارز عن الارض بيساوي 13 مليار سنة ضوئية ، يعني 13 الف مليون سنة ضوئية ، يعني الكوارز ده الي احنا شايفينه دلوقتي ده كان من 13 الف مليون سنة ، وحسب نظرية الانفجار العظيم الي الكون جاء منه كان من 15 الف مليون سنة ، يبقى الكوارز الي احنا شيفينه دلوقتي كان شكله بعد 2 الف مليون سنة من الانفجار العظيم .
هو ساجان كان بيقول الكلام ده عشان يقولك ان الكون بيتمدد ، يعني الكوارز الي احنا شيفينه دلوقتي من 13 الف مليون سنة ، يا ترى دلوقتي بعد كل ده هيكون فين ؟
لكن السؤال هنا ، بدام الكون عمره 15 الف مليون سنة ، والكوارز شايفينه عمره 13 الف مليون سنة ،، طب لو اتقدمنا ف التكنولوجيا شوية ، هنشوف ايه من 15 الف مليون سنة ؟!
او بالاصح ، هل هنشوف الانفجار العظيم ؟
طب الي اكثر من كده ، دلوقتي العلماء بيحللوا الضوء الي جاي من الاجسام البعيدة ، وبيعرفوا الاجسام دي متكونة من ايه (المواد الكيميائية يعني) من تحليل الضوء بتاعها .
طب لو جالنا ضوء من الانفجار العظيم بعمر 15 الف مليون سنة ، الضوء ده لما نحلله ، يا ترى هيكون متكون من ايه ؟!

***

اول واحد قاس قطر الارض هو ايراتوسثينس {قبل الميلاد} من اسكندرية ، وهو اول واحد اعطى دليل على ان الارض كروية بأنه لاحظ ان في عمودين واحد في اسكندرية والتاني ف اسوان ، الي ف اسكندرية عنده ظل والي ف اسوان معندوش ظل وده حصل ف نفس الوقت ؟!
طب ازاي والارض المفروض مسطحة والشمس ك مصدر الضوء بعيد فبيرسل اشعه مزاوية ، فبالتالي المفروض العمودين يكونوا عندهم نفس الظل ! إلا لو كان في نتوء او الجزء ده محدب في مدينة الاسكندرية مثلا او ان الارض كروية !!

الكتاب كان سهل وممتع ،
بس الصعب هو اني بدأت الكتاب وتاني يوم ع طول المدرسة قلتلنا انها عامللنا امتحانات تجرية ك ثالثة اعدادي ، ف الاسبوع الي فات كله مقرأتش حاجه فيه :( ...more

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Jan 24, 2012 Brian rated it it was amazing

This is one of those kind of books that comes along every few years that is so fantastic that you purposely drag out reading it in order to savor its awesomeness. It doesn't matter that it was written 25+ years ago, pre-Hubble telescope, before the fall of the USSR, etc. - Sagan's insight and wide-reaching scope are timeless.

The last few chapters are so rich in thought-provoking information they are worth re-reading. Sagan would have never wanted his work to become the foundation of a religion, ...more

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Jan 24, 2016 Vusal Rasulzade rated it it was amazing

Shelves: science

Highly recommended for people who have a little interest in astrophysics :)

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Jun 28, 2013 Tanvirul Islam rated it it was amazing

কসমস বইটা পডে আবেগে আপলুত হযে গেছিলাম। আর আবেগে আপলুত হযে গেলে আমার বাহযজঞান লোপ পায। তখন রিভিউতে যেসব ভেজা ভেজা কথা লিখেছি। খুবই ভালগার শোনাচছিলো। সেই লজজা নিবারণ করতে এই নতুন লেখা। বইটা পডে শেষ করতে আমার পরায দেড বছরের বেশি সময লেগেছে। না, বইটা বোরিং, দীরঘয, করকশ, কষটকর, না; বরং ঠিক তার উলটো। কসমসের পরতিটা সাবসেকশন, এমনকি কখনো কখনো একটা দুইটা লাইন নিযেও আমি দিনের পর দিন পডে থেকেছি। (এই রে, সেইসব সুখের দিনের কথা ভাবতেই আবার আবেগে আপলুত হযে যাচছি!) পৃথিবীতে এমন কম বই-ই আছে যা, ওযাইন, ওমযান/মযান ...more

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Jul 15, 2016 Whitney Milam rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorite-nonfiction

Legitimately one of the most beautiful and poetic books I've ever read. OUR UNIVERSE IS INCREDIBLE!!!

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Feb 13, 2016 Muhammad Shakhawat Hossain rated it liked it

Shelves: english, pop-science, cosmology, non-fiction

সে অনেককাল আগের কথা; ৩-৪ হাজার বছরের কম হবেনা। পরাচীন গরীকরা তখন Chaos কে আদি পিতা মানতো। আজকের আধুনিক ইংরেজী অভিধানে ঢুকে পড়া Chaos শবদটি বরতমানে বযবহৃত হয় ‘বিশৃঙখলা’ অরথে। তবে, শবদটির বযুৎপততিগত অরথের কিনতু খুব একটা হেরফের হয়নি এই গত কয়েক হাজার বছরেও। পরাচীন সেই গরীক বিশবাসমতে Chaos দেবতাটি ছিলেন সমপূরণ আকার-অবয়ব বিহীন এবং আদিতে যেহেতু Chaos ছাড়া আর কোন কিছুরই অসতিতব ছিলোনা, তাই সৃষটিজগতের পুরোটাই ছিলো অবিনযসত, ভীষণ এলোমেলো, আধুনিক সময়ে যাকে আমরা বলি ‘Chaotic’! এরপর Chaos সৃষটি করলেন দেবী Nigh ...more

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Jun 09, 2015 Karthick Shiva rated it it was amazing

Shelves: mind-blown, first-class, must-read, love-physics, space-science, simply-brilliant, masterpiece, science

விழுநதது லிஙகம விரிநதது யோனி
ஒழிநத முதலஐநதும ஈரைநதொ டேறிப
பொழிநத புனலபூதம போறறுங கரணம
ஒழிநத நுதலஉசசி உளளே ஒளிதததே! - திருமநதிரம (இரணடாம தநதிரம, கரபபக கிரியை - பாடல 5)

One of the best non-fiction book ever read, totally loved it (only for space science lovers)

"COSMOS - the story of cosmic evolution, science and civilization"

It all starts with
* M31 Galaxy,
* Library of Alexandria,
* Erastosthenes's calculation proof that earth is curved and not flat,
* Hiparchus's mapping of constellation and estimati ...more

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Jul 08, 2012 Daniel rated it it was amazing

I went into this book hoping to learn more about the Universe, and learn more I did. The chapters that dealt with star and galaxy formations were excellent, and many times I put down the book to look up something online. I had heard about a number of these topics in passing, and it was nice to read about them with more depth. For some reason, I was entranced by the concept of the 'heliopause' (look it up: it's freaking amazing), while I was outright blown away by the fact that both Voyager satel I went into this book hoping to learn more about the Universe, and learn more I did. The chapters that dealt with star and galaxy formations were excellent, and many times I put down the book to look up something online. I had heard about a number of these topics in passing, and it was nice to read about them with more depth. For some reason, I was entranced by the concept of the 'heliopause' (look it up: it's freaking amazing), while I was outright blown away by the fact that both Voyager satellites are only a few years away from reaching this threshold of our solar system. In one of these searches, I discovered that you can subscribe to a Twitter feed for Voyager 2 that states (from a first-person POV, as if V2 is talking to you; nice) how far the satellite has traveled. According to a tweet that is one hour old (at 21:47 EST on 7/15/12), Voyager 2 was 13 hrs, 36 mins, and 44 seconds of light-travel time from Earth.

One word: geekgasm.

I enjoyed the historical passages, though I once again felt a massive need to branch out beyond the usual coterie of Greeks and Europeans. Sagan makes a passing reference to this cultural bias in his last chapter, stating that "the emerging scientific civilization on our planet is mainly a Western Civilization" (281). I want to contest this statement, and the fact that I feel ill-educated to do so is evidence that I have read far more about these portions of history than any other.

Sagan includes passionate passages that touch upon our birthright as a species that, ultimately, comes from "starstuff." Though I have heard this idea before, Sagan writes about it with a conviction that snared my sympathies anew. His point is just as poignant today as it was 32 (damn) years ago: our specie's propensity for killing each other is frightening and tragic, and the billions of dollars that governments devote to this enterprise only divert our attention and energy from pursuits that could sustain humanity on this planet, if not propel it well beyond our own stellar backyard.

This book awakened another perturbing thought: I should have read about this decades ago and read further thereafter. Better now, I suppose, than never. ...more

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Is this most important statement ever made in history of science & philosophy - "The cosmos is also within us, We're made of star stuff. We are a way for the cosmos to know itself."	11	147	Nov 30, 2014 08:31AM
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About Carl Sagan

in 1934, scientist Carl Sagan was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. After earning bachelor and master's degrees at Cornell, Sagan earned a double doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1960. He became professor of astronomy and space science and director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University, and co-founder of the Planetary Society. A great popularizer of science, Sagan produced th in 1934, scientist Carl Sagan was born in Brooklyn, N.Y. After earning bachelor and master's degrees at Cornell, Sagan earned a double doctorate at the University of Chicago in 1960. He became professor of astronomy and space science and director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University, and co-founder of the Planetary Society. A great popularizer of science, Sagan produced the PBS series, "Cosmos," which was Emmy and Peabody award-winning, and was watched by 500 million people in 60 countries. A book of the same title came out in 1980, and was on The New York Times bestseller list for 7 weeks. Sagan was author, co-author or editor of 20 books, including The Dragons of Eden (1977), which won a Pulitzer, Pale Blue Dot (1995) and The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark (1996), his hardest-hitting on religion. With his wife, Ann Druyan, he was co-producer of the popular motion picture, "Contact," which featured a feminist, atheist protagonist played by Jodie Foster (1997). The film came out after Sagan's death, following a 2-year struggle with a bone marrow disease. Sagan played a leading role in NASA's Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo expeditions to other planets. Ann Druyan, in the epilogue to Sagan's last book, Billions and Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium (published posthumously in 1997), gives a moving account of Carl's last days: "Contrary to the fantasies of the fundamentalists, there was no deathbed conversion, no last minute refuge taken in a comforting vision of a heaven or an afterlife. For Carl, what mattered most was what was true, not merely what would make us feel better. Even at this moment when anyone would be forgiven for turning away from the reality of our situation, Carl was unflinching. As we looked deeply into each other's eyes, it was with a shared conviction that our wondrous life together was ending forever."

For his work, Dr. Sagan received the NASA medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and (twice) for Distinguished Public Service, as well as the NASA Apollo Achievement Award. Asteroid 2709 Sagan is named after him. He was also awarded the John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award of the American Astronautical Society, the Explorers Club 75th Anniversary Award, the Konstantin Tsiolkovsky Medal of the Soviet Cosmonauts Federation, and the Masursky Award of the American Astronomical Society, ("for his extraordinary contributions to the development of planetary science…As a scientist trained in both astronomy and biology, Dr. Sagan has made seminal contributions to the study of planetary atmospheres, planetary surfaces, the history of the Earth, and exobiology. Many of the most productive planetary scientists working today are his present and former students and associates").

He was also a recipient of the Public Welfare Medal, the highest award of the National Academy of Sciences.

Dr. Sagan was elected Chairman of the Division of Planetary Sciences of the American Astronomical Society, President of the Planetology Section of the American Geophysical Union, and Chairman of the Astronomy Section of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. For twelve years he was the editor-in-chief of Icarus, the leading professional journal devoted to planetary research. He was cofounder and President of the Planetary Society, a 100,000-member organization that is the largest space-interest group in the world; and Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology.

In their posthumous award to Dr. Sagan of their highest honor, the National Science Foundation declared that his "research transformed planetary science… his gifts to mankind were infinite." D. 1996.

More: https://ffrf.org/news/day/dayitems/it... ...more

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Books by Carl Sagan

The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark

Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence

Billions & Billions: Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

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Quotes from Cosmos

“Every one of us is, in the cosmic perspective, precious. If a human disagrees with you, let him live. In a hundred billion galaxies, you will not find another.” — 3025 likes

“The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in our apple pies were made in the interiors of collapsing stars. We are made of starstuff.” — 2361 likes

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