Haja’s Blog

Carl Sagan was an American astronomer (1934 – 1996), popularized astrophysics and astronomy to wider audience with his COSMOS television series and followed by serious of books related to astronomy, evolution. His crystal clear voice and poetic language mesmerized many people (still mesmerizing), in explaining the complex scientific revelations about human origins and space.

Important events in his life:

• 1934: Born to Jewish parents, Brooklyn, New York.
• 1951: Graduated from Rahway High School in New Jersey.
• 1960: Doctorate in Astronomy and astrophysics.
• 1968: Worked in Harvard University.
• 1971: Director planetary studies, Cornell University.
• 1972: Associate Director Center for Radio Physics and Space Research, Cornell.
• 1972: Assembled the first physical message that was sent into space for NASA (He was adviser to NASA from his early days, one of the main duties worth mentioning during his tenure at NASA was briefing the Apollo Astronauts before their journey to Moon)
• 1996: Taught at Cornell a course on ‘critical thinking’ until his death.

Few of his books in my shelf (worth a read):

• The Demon-Haunted World: Science As a Candle in the Dark
• Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
• Cosmos (His popular television series).
• The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence.

Important websites about him

• http://www.carlsagan.com/
• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl_Sagan
• http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap961226.html
• http://www.fas.org/sagan.htm

Viral Videos of his work

• Pale Blue Dot
• 4 Billion years of evolution (Snippet from COSMOS)
• Astrology
• Origins of Universe
• A thousand years of darkness