Carl Edward Sagan:
(Brooklyn (New York), 9 November 1934 – Seattle (Washington), 20 December 1996).
American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, sceptic and science communicator. He published more than 600 scientific findings and articles, and authored, co-authored or edited more than 20 books, especially popular science ones.
His scientific contributions mainly concern the discovery of the high surface temperatures of Venus, and the investigation of extraterrestrial life, including experimental demonstrations of amino acids produced from basic chemicals by radiation. He also conceived, developed and edited the first (intentional) messages sent into space. In the form of the pioneer programme’s golden record and the Voyager Golden Record, with the intention that any extraterrestrial intelligence might receive and understand the messages.
Sagan was particularly known as a pioneer in popularising science, through, for example, discussion programmes and talk shows on television. In the 1970-’90s, he was one of the best-known television personalities in the Western world. He gained his fame among the general public mainly through his 1980 television series Cosmos. That has been watched by more than 500 million people worldwide, from more than 60 different countries; in addition, the book of the same name and corresponding book were published.
The dumbing down of America is most evident in the slow decay of substantive content in the enormously influential media: lowest common denominator programming, credulous presentations on pseudoscience and superstition, but especially a kind of celebration of ignorance.
Who are we, if not measured by our impact on others? That’s who we are! We’re not who we say we are, we’re not who we want to be – we are the sum of the influence and impact that we have, in our lives, on others.
