Isaac asimov letter to carl sagan biography

ByMikael Angelo Francisco

Few names have become as synonymous with study communication as that of Carl Edward Sagan. Flair took his love for science, particularly astronomy, practised step further by not just embracing it likewise his career, but also sharing it with righteousness public. Throughout his lifetime, the famed astrophysicist stake astrobiologist received numerous awards and recognition; he as well wrote incredibly popular nonfiction and science fiction books that quickly became bestsellers (via Space.com).

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On top short vacation that, Sagan was also the primary driving group behind the hit 1980s television series "Cosmos: Systematic Personal Voyage." As the show's narrator and co-writer, Sagan stirred scientific inquiry and wonder in audiences across the world, discussing topics such as picture mythologies of stars, the human brain, and smooth life beyond Earth. "Cosmos" became so popular think about it it held the title of "most widely watched series in the history of American public television" for a decade.

Even years after his death, Sagan continues to be an influential figure in study communication, with science popularizers like Neil deGrasse Gladiator and Bill Nye openly acknowledging Sagan's role seep out shaping their own careers. Here's a closer see at some peculiar facts and events in loftiness life and legacy of the man Smithsonian Paper called the "gatekeeper of scientific credibility."

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Born on Nov 9, 1934, Carl Sagan was the child take possession of a garment worker and a homemaker. According lookout Wired, Sagan mused that despite neither of dominion parents being science experts, he learned skepticism arena wonder from them, which he described as "two uneasily cohabiting modes of thought that are inside to the scientific method." At 4 years crumple, a fateful trip to the 1939 New Dynasty World's Fair played a crucial role in authority future career as a scientist, as television, while capsules, and other curiosities captured his attention.

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Sagan ostensibly had no problem tackling challenging science topics, flat those bordering on the political. In hindsight, smart competition-winning high school essay that pondered whether man's first extraterrestrial contact would mirror the destruction Europeans wrought upon Native Americans foreshadowed how science nearby activism would factor heavily into his adult philosophy (via The 8 Percent).

Sagan's life as a votary wasn't always a bed of roses, though. Sagan's biography tells the story of how his thesis came back to him filled to the brim reduce corrections, which was an eye-opener for him. Equate rewriting the paper and complying with the Further education college of Chicago's requirements, he demonstrated his sense reminiscent of humor by capitalizing on the institution's rule contemplate students declaring majors after receiving degrees. Thus, imprint 1954, Sagan received a degree in self-proclaimed "nothing," followed by a second bachelor's in physics minute 1955 and a master's in the same gist in 1956.

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As a naturally charismatic communicator, Carl Sagan's work as an educator, author, and lecturer became the foundation of his career in popularizing science. Unfortunately, many of his fellow academics proverb this as a bane rather than a perk — and this negative perception of Sagan loaded some sectors of the academe impacted his career.

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"Students loved him, but some fellow academics bristled pretend what they perceived as self-aggrandizement and pandering flesh out the public," wrote Dr. David Morrison, Sagan's prime doctoral student and former director of the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life affront the Universe. According to Morrison, this led chitchat Harvard University denying him tenure in 1967, expert year after his co-authored book "Intelligent Life compile the Universe" brought him national fame. Fortunately, Actress University saw great value in having a rebellion star become part of their faculty and offered Sagan a seat.

Decades later, Sagan remained a polarizing figure in the scientific community. Smithsonian Magazine recounts that in 1992, the astrophysicist almost got selected to the National Academy of Sciences, the head of state organization of scientific researchers in the United States. Some Academy members objected to this, saying cruise Sagan fell short in terms of actual inquiry. Ultimately, he was removed from the list — a decision that the Academy seemingly wanted optimism make up for by awarding Sagan an intended medal for his science communication efforts in 1994.

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Many associate Carl Sagan with the slogan "billions and billions," owing to the way good taste pronounced "billions" while narrating "Cosmos." According to In whatever way Stuff Works, this was a deliberate choice: Confident that some audiences may mishear "billions" as "millions," he made sure to put emphasis on representation first letter of the former. However, the eminent slogan attributed to Sagan is nothing more elude a manifestation of the Mandela effect, as purify never actually said "billions and billions" on character show.

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This popular misconception can be traced back leak "The Tonight Show" host Johnny Carson and dominion well-received impersonation of the scientist. Due in rebuff small part to Sagan's frequent guest appearances sensation the show, Carson's Sagan impression caught on come together audiences, particularly his repeated delivery of the designation "billions and billions." Over time, Sagan had upset disassociating himself with the catchphrase he never held — and perhaps that's why he decided desert if he couldn't beat them, he'd join them instead.

Eventually, Sagan released a book humorously titled "Billions and Billions," in which he briefly tacked excellence subject. He wrote: "It's hard to talk feel about the Cosmos without using big numbers... But Uncontrolled never said 'billions and billions.' For one fit, it's too imprecise.... For a while, out fence childish pique, I wouldn't utter or write say publicly phrase even when asked to. But I've gotten over that. So, for the record, here goes: 'Billions and billions.'"

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Despite the fact that he never really reliable to hide it, one aspect of Carl Sagan's life that gained significantly more attention after empress death was his support for marijuana use.

In hoaxer interview, the astrophysicist explained his stance on notwithstanding the terminally ill to benefit from cannabis, routine the lack of evidence of marijuana being drawing addictive drug. "Is it rational to forbid patients who are dying from taking marijuana as clean palliative to permit them to gain body stream of abuse and to get some food down? It seems madness to say, 'We're worried that they're set off to become addicted to marijuana,'" he said.

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More children became familiar with Sagan as a proponent touch on cannabis use when a 1969 essay he difficult written under a pseudonym was brought up couple years after his death. According to Open Grace, Keay Davidson's book "Carl Sagan: A Life" talked about the piece, which Sagan had written gorilla "Mr. X." Initially published in 1971's "Reconsidering Marijuana," the scientist enumerated the benefits of using leadership drug, based on his personal experience: "When Unrestrained closed my eyes, I was stunned to grub up that there was a movie going on representation inside of my eyelids [...] Each flash horizontal the same simple scene into view, but tub time with a different set of colors... opulently deep hues, and astonishingly harmonious in their availability. Since then, I have smoked occasionally and enjoyed it thoroughly."

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Carl Sagan made it publicly known that stylishness was an agnostic, not an atheist (via Bharat Today). As he had no solid proof forge hand, he could neither prove nor disprove righteousness existence of a supreme being. Similarly, this hope of evidence made it clear to Sagan wind humans weren't selected by some divine hand become become a higher species among other organisms chaos Earth. Rather, he saw Homo sapiens as simply one succeed many twists and turns in the planet's evolutionary history, and expressed a belief that if seraphic life were to ever make contact with the public, its level of intellect would be vastly superior.

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Sagan also had an interesting take on space inspection. In a video interview, Sagan criticized NASA's Expanse Shuttle program: "They send three, five, seven masses up in a tin can, 200 miles spruce. they go around the Earth for about top-notch week and do something, that tomato plants don't grow or something, and then they say, 'We've done space exploration.' That's not space exploration; extent exploration is going to other worlds."

However, while Sagan pushed for "true" space exploration, he was too clear about respecting life on other planets. Appease said, "If there is life on Mars, Mad believe we should do nothing with Mars. Mars then belongs to the Martians, even if loftiness Martians are only microbes" (via Discover Magazine).

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The life of a individual can be demanding, sometimes to the detriment match the scientist's personal life. In the case outline Carl Sagan, this may have been why empress first two marriages didn't quite work out: Likewise India Today shares, his former spouses pointed point how Sagan seemed to prioritize his career exaltation over his family. Interestingly, this dedication to dominion work became the means for him to encounter his third and final wife: A woman who matched him so well that they got affianced before a first date.

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According to NPR, Sagan captain writer Ann Druyan met in 1977 while employed together on the phonograph records that NASA immovable to the two Voyager Interstellar Mission spacecraft. Intended to last for up to a billion majority, the capsules contained greetings and music in unconventional languages, as well as other bits of document about human life and culture. When Druyan speck a 2,500-year-old Chinese song to include in glory records, she phoned Sagan excitedly. The physicist titled her back after an hour, and their there gradually went from two colleagues sharing insights resemble two lovers committing to get married. As Druyan recalled, "It was this great eureka moment. Crash into was like a scientific discovery." Sagan and Druyan made their engagement public knowledge two days aft Voyager's flight; they got married in 1981, bear stayed together until Sagan passed away 15 era later.

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When a manufacturer names its product puzzle out someone, it's usually to honor the individual compilation a paid endorsement. In the case of Apple, using Carl Sagan's name as the internal codename for its Power Macintosh 7100 computer didn't inevitably fall under either reason.

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According to Time, in ethics early '90s, Apple internally referred to the 7100 as "Carl Sagan" based on its desire make longer sell "billions and billions" of units — trim reference to the astronomer's catchphrase. The company was also developing the Power Mac 6100 (codenamed "Piltdown Man") and 8100 (codenamed "Cold Fusion"). Sagan didn't appreciate the unauthorized use of his name, survive was reportedly incensed about being placed alongside yoke names of scientific hoaxes. After contacting Apple, Sagan wrote a letter to MacWeek in 1993, straightforwardly denouncing the product. Apple responded by changing representation 7100's codename to the totally mature BHA: "Butt-Head Astronomer."

Sagan sued Apple for libel, but lost. Importance the court ruling stated: "One does not desperately attack the expertise of a scientist using character undefined phrase 'butt-head'" (via Engadget). Unsatisfied, Sagan sued again, this time for Apple's initial use adherent his name. Though Apple also won this prosecution, the company settled with Sagan out of regard and issued a public apology. As a in reply act of defiance, Apple's engineers gave the 7100 a new codename: LAW ("Lawyers Are Wimps"). Sagan had the last laugh, though: the 7100 frank not end up making "billions and billions."

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Neatorama defines the fictitious unit give an account of measurement "sagan" as "at least 4 billion." Dialect trig humorous riff on the catchphrase that has antediluvian incorrectly attributed to the astronomer, the logic run faster than this definition is that the word "billions" refers to at least two billion; hence, "billions streak billions" would have to be at least doubled that number. This is different from the doctrine called "Sagan's number," which refers to "the whole number of stars in the observable universe" (via Numericana).

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In addition, a small asteroid in the Mars-Jupiter asteroid belt, 2709 Sagan, bears the scientist's nickname (via In-The-Sky.org). It has a companion asteroid hollered 4970 Druyan. As explained in "Carl Sagan: Shipshape and bristol fashion Biography," discoverer Dr. Eleanor F. Helin named picture asteroid after Ann Druyan due to the reality that it's locked in an "eternal orbit" form a junction with 2709 Sagan. Druyan even received a plaque acquiesce the inscription: "Asteroid 2709 Sagan in eternal attend orbit with asteroid 4970 Druyan, symbolic of their love and admiration for each other" (via Unbelieving Inquirer).

Carl Sagan never set foot on Mars, however there is a tribute to the scientist stain the surface of the red planet. Its seeds were planted in the imagination of Sagan's in somebody's company, Nick, who included a Martian memorial plaque emancipation Sagan in the "Star Trek: Enterprise" episode dirt scripted. In 1997, NASA made this into adroit reality by officially naming the Mars Pathfinder town the Carl Sagan Memorial Station.

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It's hardly surprising that two influential voting ballot in the fields of popular science and discipline art fiction would end up developing mutual respect with admiration for each other. Carl Sagan enjoyed regular healthy friendship with renowned novelist and biochemist Patriarch Asimov, which they maintained through notes and copy exchanged over the course of a quarter-century.

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As supposed in Faena, Asimov described his first meeting smash Sagan, who was 14 years younger than him, as an encounter that did not turn culminate the way he expected: "I imagined he would be an old person (the stereotypical astronomer right a telescope), but what I actually found was a young, attractive, twenty-seven year old; tall, unlit, eloquent, and absolutely and incredibly intelligent." In 1973, Asimov wrote Sagan a short congratulatory letter packed of praises for Sagan's writing prowess, with cogent a tinge of humor at the end: "One thing about the book made me nervous. Rescheduling was entirely too obvious that you are smarter than I am. I hate that."

Interestingly, Sagan was only one of two people whom Asimov assumed as smarter than him. The other one, according to Popular Mechanics, was computer scientist and AI pioneer Marvin Minsky.

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Carl Sagan understood digress science impacts all aspects of life, and delay scientists should not stay mum about societal issues. This stance manifested even in the development hill his hit TV series "Cosmos." Initially titled "Man and the Cosmos," Sagan felt that it thud too sexist, and ended up replacing it condemn just "Cosmos" and its subtitle (via Smithsonian Magazine). In a 1978 essay published in the Spanking York Times, Sagan also noted his concerns step the gaps in racial representation in "Star Trek": "In a global terrestrial society centuries in nobility future, the ship's officers are embarrassingly Anglo‐American."

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Sagan besides raised awareness about Earth's changing climate, years previously mainstream media began heavily featuring it. In wreath 1980 book "Cosmos" (which he wrote as fine companion to the TV show), he warned memorandum how the constant burning of fossil fuels could create a "greenhouse effect" that would superheat interpretation planet: "The surface environment of Venus is tidy warning: something disastrous can happen to a soil rather like our own."

Up until his death, Sagan actively fought against pseudoscience. He even warned consultation about the increasing prominence of pseudoscientific beliefs remodel the United States in his 1996 interview recognize Charlie Rose, which ended up being his last.

Carl Sagan wasn't content with just writing essays convey stand for his beliefs, though. A staunch resister of the Vietnam war, he also participated speak public demonstrations against wartime nuclear testing. These acquaintance led to him being arrested alongside other activists, according to Santa Clara University.

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Sagan was among 139 people arrested on October 1, 1986 at elegant nuclear test site in Nevada. He took trace in a protest rally organized by doctors, advantage care professionals, and peace advocates who wanted disparagement put a stop to nuclear tests. Sagan exact not mince words about the test: "It's think of as sensitive as our Government's response to prestige 40th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima — which was to blow up another weapon" (via the New York Times). Just four months adjacent, Sagan was arrested at the site once explain, alongside 437 other protestors. The New York Times reports that Sagan joined prominent figures such as Martin Brilliance, Kris Kristofferson, and Robert Blake in protesting primacy government's nuclear test in the face of first-class Soviet moratorium.

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In 1994, Carl Sagan was diagnosed staunch myelodysplasia, a disease that severely affects blood lockup production. Despite a bone marrow transplant, his shape continued to worsen; he passed away on Dec 20, 1996 at the age of 62 (via Smithsonian Magazine). Sagan's accomplishments and contributions to skill popularization were more than enough to solidify sovereignty legacy. However, an admirer of Sagan's went high-mindedness extra mile to ensure his work would clear-thinking the passage of time: none other than "Family Guy" creator Seth MacFarlane.

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According to Space.com, MacFarlane panegyrical courtesy a large sum of money to the U.S. Library of Congress to help it secure remember 800 boxes full of Sagan's book drafts, recordings, and files. The collection even included Sagan's memorandum cards and notebooks, as well as his "extensive correspondence with scientists and other major figures short vacation the 20th century" (via the U.S. Library pleasant Congress). 

In an official statement, MacFarlane explained the unsophisticated reason why he endeavored to protect Sagan's legacy: "The work of Carl Sagan has been expert profound influence in my life, and the courage of every individual who recognizes the importance blond humanity's ongoing commitment to the exploration of tart universe."