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Sagan Unit
Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is his research on the possibility of extraterrestrial life, including experimental demonstration of the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by exposure to light. He assembled the first physical messages sent into space, the Pioneer plaque and the Voyager Golden Record, which were universal messages that could potentially be understood by any Extraterrestrial life, extraterrestrial intelligence that might find them. He argued in favor of the hypothesis, which has since been accepted, that the high surface temperatures of Venus are the result of the greenhouse effect.Extract of page 14 Initially an assistant professor at Harvard Universi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Washington and in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. With a population of 780,995 in 2024, it is the 18th-most populous city in the United States. The city is the county seat of King County, the most populous county in Washington. The Seattle metropolitan area's population is 4.02 million, making it the 15th-most populous in the United States. Its growth rate of 21.1% between 2010 and 2020 made it one of the country's fastest-growing large cities. Seattle is situated on an isthmus between Puget Sound, an inlet of the Pacific Ocean, and Lake Washington. It is the northernmost major city in the United States, located about south of the Canadian border. A gateway for trade with East Asia, the Port of Seattle is the fourth-largest port in North America in terms of container handling . The Seattle area has been inhabited by Native Americans (such as the Duwamish, who had at least 17 villages a ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
David Morrison (astrophysicist)
David Morrison (born June 26, 1940) is an American astronomer, a senior scientist at the Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute, at NASA Ames Research Center in Mountain View, California. Morrison is the former director of the Carl Sagan Center for Study of Life in the Universe at the SETI Institute and of the NASA Lunar Science Institute. He is the past Director of Space at NASA Ames. Morrison is credited as a founder of the multi-disciplinary field of astrobiology. Morrison is best known for his work in risk assessment of near Earth objects such as asteroids and comets. Asteroid 2410 Morrison was named in his honor. Morrison is also known for his "Ask an Astrobiologist" series on NASA's website where he provides answers to questions submitted by the public. He has published 12 books and over 150 papers primarily on planetary science, astrobiology and near Earth objects. Biography David Morrison was born in Danville, Illinois on June 26, 1940. He attended elem ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pale Blue Dot (book)
''Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space'' is a 1994 book by the astronomer Carl Sagan. It is the sequel to Sagan's 1980 book ''Cosmos'' and was inspired by the famous 1990 '' Pale Blue Dot'' photograph, for which Sagan provides a poignant description. In the book, Sagan mixes philosophy about the human place in the universe with a description of the current knowledge about the Solar System. He also details a human vision for the future. In 2023, the audiobook of ''Pale Blue Dot'', read by Sagan, was selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant." Summary The first part of the book examines the claims made throughout history that Earth and the human species are unique. Sagan proposes two reasons for the persistence of the idea of a geocentric, or Earth-centered universe: human pride in our existence, and the threat of torturing those who disse ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Contact (novel)
''Contact'' is a 1985 hard science fiction novel by American scientist Carl Sagan. It deals with the theme of contact between humanity and a more technologically advanced extraterrestrial life form. It ranked No. 7 on ''Publishers Weeklys 1985 bestseller list. The only full work of fiction published by Sagan, the novel originated as a screenplay by Sagan and Ann Druyan (whom he later married) in 1979; when development of the film stalled, Sagan decided to convert the stalled film into a novel. The film concept was subsequently revived and eventually released in 1997 as the film '' Contact'' starring Jodie Foster. Plot As a child, Eleanor "Ellie" Arroway shows a strong aptitude for science and mathematics. Dissatisfied with a school lesson, she confirms in a library that pi is transcendental. In sixth grade, her father, Theodore ("Ted"), dies. Her new stepfather, John Staughton, does not support her interests. Ellie resents him and believes her mother remarried out of weakn ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Dragons Of Eden
''The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence'' is a 1977 book by Carl Sagan, in which the author combines the fields of anthropology, evolutionary biology, psychology, and computer science to give a perspective on how human intelligence may have evolved. Sagan discusses the search for a quantitative means of measuring intelligence. He argues that the brain to body mass ratio is an extremely good correlative indicator for intelligence, with humans having the highest ratio and dolphins the second highest, though he views the trend as breaking down at smaller scales, with some small animals (ants in particular) placing disproportionately high on the list. Other topics mentioned include the evolution of the brain (with emphasis on the function of the neocortex in humans), the evolutionary purpose of sleep and dreams, demonstration of sign language abilities by chimps and the purpose of mankind's innate fears and myths. The title "The Dragons of Eden" i ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Voyager Golden Record
The Voyager Golden Records are two identical phonograph records, one of each which were included aboard the two Voyager spacecraft launched in 1977. The records contain sounds and data to reconstruct raster scan images selected to portray the diversity of life and culture on Earth, and are intended for any intelligent extraterrestrial life form who may find them. The records are a time capsule. Although neither Voyager spacecraft is heading toward any particular star, ''Voyager 1'' will pass within 1.6 light-years' distance of the star Gliese 445, currently in the constellation Camelopardalis, in about Timeline of the far future#Spacecraft and space exploration, 40,000 years. Carl Sagan noted that "The spacecraft will be encountered and the record played only if there are advanced space-faring civilizations in interstellar space, but the launching of this Message in a bottle, 'bottle' into the cosmic 'ocean' says something very hopeful about life on this planet." Background T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Cosmos (Sagan Book)
''Cosmos'' is a popular science book written by astronomer and Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan. It was published in 1980 as a companion piece to the PBS mini-series ''Cosmos: A Personal Voyage'' with which it was co-developed and intended to complement. Each of the book's 13 illustrated chapters corresponds to one of the 13 episodes of the television series. Just a few of the ideas explored in ''Cosmos'' include the history and mutual development of science and civilization, the nature of the Universe, human and robotic space exploration, the inner workings of the cell and the DNA that controls it, and the dangers and future implications of nuclear war. One of Sagan's main purposes for both the book and the television series was to explain complex scientific ideas in a way that anyone interested in learning can understand. Sagan also believed the television was one of the greatest teaching tools ever invented, so he wished to capitalize on his chance to educate the world. ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
A Personal Voyage
''Cosmos: A Personal Voyage'' is a thirteen-part, 1980–81 television series written by Carl Sagan, Ann Druyan, and Steven Soter, with Sagan as presenter. It was executive-produced by Adrian Malone, produced by David Kennard, Geoffrey Haines-Stiles, and Gregory Andorfer, and directed by the producers, David Oyster, Richard Wells, Tom Weidlinger, and others. It covers a wide range of scientific subjects, including the origin of life and a perspective of our place in the universe. Owing to its bestselling companion book and soundtrack album using the title, ''Cosmos'', the series is widely known by this title, with the subtitle omitted from home video packaging. The subtitle began to be used more frequently in the 2010s to differentiate it from the sequel series that followed. The series was first broadcast by the Public Broadcasting Service in 1980, and was the most widely watched series in the history of American public television until '' The Civil War'' (1990). As of 2009 ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
SETI
Seti or SETI may refer to: Astrobiology * SETI, the search for extraterrestrial intelligence. ** SETI Institute, an astronomical research organization *** SETIcon, a former convention organized by the SETI Institute ** Berkeley SETI Research Center, an astronomical research organization *** SETI@home, a distributed computing project ** Active SETI, the attempt to send messages to intelligent aliens Egyptology * Seti (commander), grandfather of Seti I * Seti (Viceroy of Kush) * Seti I (died 1279 BC), pharaoh * Seti II (died 1197 BC), pharaoh * Seti-Merenptah, a son of Seti II * Seti, son of Amun-her-khepeshef * Sethi, one of List of children of Ramesses II#, the sons of Ramesses II Music * SETI (band), an ambient music band from New York City * SETI (The Kovenant album), ''SETI'' (The Kovenant album), an album by metal band The Kovenant Places * Seti River, a tributary of the Karnali River in Nepal * Seti Gandaki River or Seti River, a tributary of the Trishuli River in Nepal * S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Steven Soter
Steven Soter is an astrophysicist currently holding the positions of scientist-in-residence for New York University's Environmental Studies Program and of Research Associate for the Department of Astrophysics at the American Museum of Natural History. He is a proponent of the International Astronomical Union's definition of planet. Education Soter received his bachelor's degree in astronomy and physics from UCLA in 1965 (advisors George Abell and Peter Goldreich) and his doctorate in astronomy from Cornell University in 1971 (advisors Thomas Gold, Carl Sagan, and Joseph Burns). Career in astrophysics In 1974, Soter suggested that dust produced by meteoritic bombardment of Saturn's moon Phoebe might orbit the planet until colliding with Saturn's moon Iapetus and be responsible for the unique dark-bright dichotomy of the latter. Although not the unique cause, dust originating from Saturn's irregular satellites was later found in data from the Cassini spacecraft to indeed ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Christopher Chyba
Christopher F. Chyba is an American astrobiologist and Professor of Astrophysical Sciences and International Affairs at the Princeton School of Public and International Affairs. He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1982, and studied mathematical physics at the University of Cambridge as a Marshall Scholar. He then received his Ph.D. in astronomy, with an emphasis in planetary science, from Cornell University in 199He was a White House Fellow on the National Security Council staff, and then serving in the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) from 1993 to 1995. He was a member of the SETI Institute Board of Trustees from 2005 to 2007. Awards and honors * 2001 MacArthur Fellows Program * The asteroid 7923 Chyba was named in Chyba's honor. Works"Commencement Address", June 1, 2003 [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
