Carl Sagan's Cosmic Connection: An Extraterrestrial Perspective

Front Cover
Cambridge University Press, Aug 31, 2000 - Nature - 302 pages
In 1973, Carl Sagan published The Cosmic Connection, a daring view of the universe, which rapidly became a classic work of popular science and inspired a generation of scientists and enthusiasts. This seminal work is reproduced here for a whole new generation to enjoy. In Sagan's typically lucid and lyrical style, he discusses many topics from astrophysics and solar system science, to colonization, terraforming and the search for extraterrestrials. Sagan conveys his own excitement and wonder, and relates the revelations of astronomy to the most profound human problems and concerns: issues that are just as valid today as they were thirty years ago. New to this edition are Freeman Dyson's comments on Sagan's vision and the importance of the work, Ann Druyan's assessment of Sagan's cultural significance as a champion of science, and David Morrison's discussion of the advances made since 1973 and what became of Sagan's predictions. Who knows what wonders this third millennium will reveal, but one thing is certain: Carl Sagan played a unique role in preparing us for them.
 

Contents

A Message from Earth
17
Experiments in Utopias
35
Space Exploration as a Human Enterprise
51
Space Exploration as a Human Enterprise
66
PART TWO THE SOLAR SYSTEM
71
On Teaching the First Grade
73
The Ancient and Legendary Gods of Old
77
The Venus Detective Story
81
Some of My Best Friends Are Dolphins
169
Hello Central Casting? Send Me Twenty Extraterrestrials
182
The Cosmic Connection
186
An Idea Whose Time Has Come
192
Has the Earth Been Visited?
199
A Search Strategy for Detecting Extraterrestrial Intelligence
209
If We Succeed
215
Cables Drums and Seashells
221

Venus Is Hell
87
Science and Intelligence
95
The Moons of Barsoom
101
The Mountains of Mars I Observations from Earth
114
The Mountain of Mars II Observations from Space
123
The Canals of Mars
129
The Lost Pictures of Mars
135
The Ice Age and the Cauldron
141
Beginnings and Ends of the Earth
145
Terraforming the Planets
148
The Exploration and Utilization of the Solar System
157
PART THREE BEYOND THE SOLAR SYSTEM
167
The Night Freight to the Stars
227
Astroengineering
229
A Classification of Cosmic Civilizations
233
Galactic Cultural Exchanges
241
A Passage to Elsewhen
245
Starfolk 1 A Fable
249
Starfolk 2 A Future
257
Starfolk 3 The Cosmic Cheshire Cats
263
Epilog to Carl Sagans The Cosmic Connection by David Morrison
268
About the Author Producer and Contributors
295
Index
298
Copyright

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About the author (2000)

Carl Sagan was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking and Voyager missions to the planets and briefed the Apollo astronauts before their flights to the Moon. He helped solve many mysteries in planetary science from the high temperature of Venus to the seasonal changes on Mars. For his unique contributions, he was awarded the NASA Medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievment and for Distinguished Public Service (twice), as well as the Tsiolkovsky Medal of the Soviet Cosmonautics Federation, the John F. Kennedy Award of the American Astronautical Society and the Arthur C. Clarke Award for Space Education.

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