Carl Sagan is a famous astronomer who is well known for his work as an Exo biologist. He popularized astronomy through his books and participating in the TV series about Cosmos. Carl got his science related interest through visiting the 1939 New York World’s Fair as a kid. The scientist was born in New York in 1934 and graduated in 1951. Later, he became a professor and director of Planetary Studies Laboratory. So, why is Carl Sagan Famous? He contributes to science findings and makes astronomy exciting through his TV show. Sagan also won the Pulitzer Prize for his work and assisted NASA for Venus, Mars and Jupiter missions and studied the atmosphere of those planets. He also gives the idea of friendly extraterrestrial life possibility.
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
“Cosmos: A Personal Voyage” is an important TV series in the beginning of popular science communication. The work of Carl Sagan as a co-writer and communicator of the show is valuable. The show makes the complex concepts of the cosmos easy and understandable for a wider audience. The show has a total of 13 Episodes each explaining the deep concept of the cosmos. The original production of the series is no longer available, but you can find the different episodes on video platforms like YouTube. The show later inspires other science enthusiasts to share the scientific concepts with the general audience.
You can also access the upgraded version of the show named “Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey” hosted by Neil deGrasse Tyson. It shares the previous concepts of Carl Sagan with better graphics and latest scientific findings. The Carl Sagan book under the same title “Cosmos” became the best-selling science book ever in English.
Carl Sagan Discoveries
Carl Sagan works with the NASA briefing about Apollo astronauts. He gets the opportunity to understand the findings of the different space missions of our nearby planets Venus, Mars, and Jupiter’s moon Titan.
His research helps other researchers to understand the possibilities of extreme temperature on different planets. He understands the toxic atmosphere of Venus and the greenhouse effect. He also studies the atmosphere of Mars. His work assists us to understand the possibility of other intelligent life in our universe. He plays a vital role in the development of the Voyager Golden Record that launches in 1977. It contains the culture, objects, and diverse lives on the planet Earth. He helps design the right message and content in more than fifty-five languages. Voyager one and Voyager 2 both leave the solar system in 2021 with the Golden Records for any intelligent exoplanet life. Carl Sagan shares the concept of possible extraterrestrial life. He values exobiology, a branch of science that focuses on studying the lives of organisms outside the planet Earth.
Carl Sagan Influence
His work inspires the most famous scientists of the present time. Neil deGrasse Tyson first met Carl Sagan in a bus store and Carl gave a tour to Neil in his laboratory. This encounter has a profound influence on the life of Neil as a 17-Year-old student. Sagan then drops Neil at the bus stop in the heavy snow and gives Neil his phone number in case the bus does not come on time.
Neil Typson mentions that he learned from famous Carl Sagan about the person he wanted to become. Neil deGrasse Tyson now became a well-known science commentator that popularized science. Another famous physicist Brian Cox confessed in his interviews about the influence of Carl’s belief about science as a part of civilization. Brain Cox also considers Carl Sagan his hero. Brain also writes about Carl’s legacy that values human curiosity.
Steven Novella is a well-known person in the field of science-based medicine and authors meaningful articles about medicine, food, healthcare cost and Artificial intelligence doctor. Steven Novella also mentions Carl Sagan as a hero in his article. He inspires through Carl’s work a combination of poetry and scientific views. Steven listens to the Sagan series as music that conveys skepticism.
Michael E. Mann is a prominent climate scientist that works well for climate change research and the right policy to manage the future climate change situation. As an elementary student, Sagan inspires Michael ‘s curiosity to do something exciting in the science field. Micheal infuses his concepts with Sagan’s concept to explain climate change.
Written Work
Carl Sagan has written over twenty books that are both fiction and nonfiction. He won the Pulitzer award for his book “The Dragons of Eden.” It shares the complex concept of human intelligence in simple words and the evolution of intelligence on Earth life. He is a dedicated fan of sci fi literature and writes a famous sci fi novel named “Contact” that became a 1985 bestseller. It revolves around the story of a scientist who receives a message from the outer Earth being. It was adapted into the movie with the same name in 1997.
