Carl Sagan

An analysis of the potentially devastating consequences of nuclear war discusses the environmental impact of nuclear winter and proposes changes in international nuclear policies

İnsanlığı varlıklı bir evin kapısına bırakılmış kimsesiz bebeğe benzetsek yeridir. Yeni ebeveyni ona geçmişine dair bir öykü anlatır. Çocuk büyüdükçe bu öyküyü inandırıcı bulmayıp gerçekte kim olduğunu, hangi soydan geldiğini araştırır. Öğrenir ki insan ve dünya günümüzden 6000 yıl önce yaratılmamıştır! Dünya 5 milyar yıl önce oluşmuş, yaşam 4 milyar yıl önce ortaya çıkmış ve evrilerek 2 milyon yıl önce insan türü biçimini almıştır... Çocuk en sonunda insan türünün kendisini doğadan ayrı, ondan üstün bir varlık olarak görmesinin yanlış olduğunu anlar. Bu yanlıştan kurtulup en yakın akrabalarımız olan canlı türlerinin yaşam tarzını incelemek, türümüzün başına bela olmuş, savaş, katliam, sömürü, etnik merkezcilik, yabancı düşmanlığı, cinsiyet ayrımcılığı gibi sorunların çözümüne katkı sağlayacaktır. Carl Sagan ve Ann Druyan Atalarımızın Gölgesinde ile okuru bir bilim şenliğine davet ediyor. Bu şenlikte mitoloji ve felsefeden de söz edileceğini söylememize tabii ki gerek yok...

In the final book of his astonishing career, Carl Sagan brilliantly examines the burning questions of our lives, our world, and the universe around us. These luminous, entertaining essays travel both the vastness of the cosmos and the intimacy of the human mind, posing such fascinating questions as how did the universe originate and how will it end, and how can we meld science and compassion to meet the challenges of the coming century? Here, too, is a rare, private glimpse of Sagan's thoughts about love, death, and God as he struggled with fatal disease. Ever forward-looking and vibrant with the sparkle of his unquenchable curiosity, Billions & Billions is a testament to one of the great scientific minds of our day.

Blekitna kropka

W Kosmosie Carl Sagan tylko „rzucił okiem” na wspaniałą tajemnicę Wszechświata i udostępnił ją milionom ludzi na całym świecie. W Błękitnej kropce, oszałamiającej kilkuset barwnymi ilustracjami kontynuacji tamtego bestsellera, słynny astronom kończy swoją rewolucyjną podróż przez przestrzeń i czas. Przyszłe pokolenia będą spoglądać wstecz na naszą epokę jako czas, w którym ludzka rasa wreszcie w radykalny sposób pokonała nową granicę – kosmiczną przestrzeń. W swojej książce Sagan śledzi romantyczną historię naszego startu w kosmos i ocenia przyszłość, która otworzy się przed nami, kiedy już skolonizujemy nasz system planetarny i wyruszymy dalej, do odległych galaktyk. Autor niezwykle sugestywnie udowadnia, że eksploracja i osiedlenie się człowieka na innych światach, w tym także zaludnienie nieznanych jeszcze galaktyk, nie jest ani fantazją, ani luksusem, ale raczej koniecznym warunkiem przetrwania ludzkiego rodzaju.

Carl Sagan, writer & scientist, returns from the frontier to tell us about how the world works. In his delightfully down-to-earth style, he explores & explains a mind-boggling future of intelligent robots, extraterrestrial life & its consquences, & other provocative, fascinating quandries of the future we want to see today.

Batı dünyasının en popüler bilim yazarlarından biri olan Carl Sagan Türkiye'de ilk kez Cosmos adlı kitabıyla tanınmıştır. Yazara uluslararası ün kazandıran Cennetin Ejderleri, insan beyninin ve zekâsının evrimi üzerine açık seçik yazılmış kapsamlı bir yapıttır.

WHAT ARE THESE GRACEFUL VISITORS TO OUR SKIES? WE NOW KNOW THAT THEY BRING BOTH LIFE AND DEATH AND TEACH US ABOUT OUR ORIGINS.Comet begins with a breathtaking journey through space astride a comet. Pulitzer Prize-winning astronomer Carl Sagan, author of Cosmos and Contact, and writer Ann Druyan explore the origin, nature, and future of comets, and the exotic myths and portents attached to them. The authors show how comets have spurred some of the great discoveries in the history of science and raise intriguing questions about these brilliant visitors from the interstellar dark.Were the fates of the dinosaurs and the origins of humans tied to the wanderings of a comet? Are comets the building blocks from which worlds are formed?Lavishly illustrated with photographs and specially commissioned full-color paintings, Comet is an enthralling adventure, indispensable for anyone who has ever gazed up at the heavens and wondered why."SIMPLY THE BEST." *The Times of London"FASCINATING, EVOCATIVE, INSPIRING." *The Washington Post"COMET HUMANIZES SCIENCE. A BEAUTIFUL, INTERESTING BOOK." *United Press International"MASTERFUL . . . SCIENCE, POETRY, AND IMAGINATION." *The Atlanta Journal & Constitution

The first international conference on the problem of extraterrestrial civilizations, and contact with them, was held in September 1971 in Soviet Armenia. The conference was a gathering of specialists working in a wide variety of fields—astronomy, physics, radiophysics, computer science and technology, chemistry, biology, linguistics, archaeology, anthropology, sociology, and history—and included many scientists whose reputations are worldwide. For example, Freeman Dyson, Philip Morrison, and Charles Townes were among the American participants; their Russian counterparts were of comparable distinction. The conference was jointly organized by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences (with assistance from the U.S. National Science Foundation) and the U.S.S.R. Academy of Sciences. Scientists from several other countries also participated. Many aspects of the problem of extraterrestrial civilizations were discussed in detail, and these discussions are fully presented in this book. Particular attention is devoted to the following the plurality of planetary systems in the universe, the origin of life on Earth, the possibility of life arising on cosmic bodies, the origin and evolution of intelligence, the origin and development of technological civilizations, problems in searching for intelligent signals or for evidence of astroengineering activities, and the problems and possible consequences of establishing contact with extraterrestrial civilizations.

Jeune astronome convaincue de l'existence d'une vie extraterrestre intelligente, Ellie Arroway doit faire face au scepticisme de la communauté scientifique à l'égard du projet "Argus", un programme d'écoute spatiale installé au Nouveau-Mexique qu'elle et son équipe tentent par tous les moyens de sauver. Jusqu'au jour où leurs ordinateurs captent un message rationnel émis non pas depuis la Terre, mais depuis Véga, une lointaine étoile. Ellie se lance alors à coeur perdu dans son déchiffrage, pour découvrir qu'il s'agit des plans d'un véhicule censé permettre à des humains de voyager dans l'espace afin de rencontrer ceux qui nous les ont adressés. Or ces êtres semblent à présent impatients d'établir le contact : ils nous surveillent depuis longtemps, et le moment est peut-être venu pour eux de nous juger...

Gegen alle Vorurteile erkämpft sich die junge Wissenschaftlerin Arroway ihre berufliche Anerkennung. Während ihrer Arbeit auf einer Teleskopstation empfängt sie eine rätselhafte Botschaft. Sie wagt, das Undenkbare zu denken: Gibt es, wenn auch viele Lichtjahre entfernt, weit draußen im All Leben auf einem fremden Planeten? Eine Reise ins Herz des Universums beginnt...

Telah lama manusia membayangkan kehidupan di luar Bumi. Para ilmuwan tak lelah mencari tanda-tandanya di segala penjuru langit. Bertahun-tahun Proyek Argus dengan teleskop-teleskop radionya berusaha menangkap sinyal yang menandakan keberadaaan kehidupan cerdas di alam semesta. Pada suatu sore, sejarah umat manusia berubah, untuk seketika dan selamanya. Suatu Pesan yang telah menunggu lama, yang keberadaannya diragukan, akhirnya tiba. Kontak telah terjadi. Suatu kehidupan, seseorang, sesuatu di dekat bintang Vega, 26 tahun cahaya jauhnya dari Bumi, memanggil-manggil kita, memancarkan pesan yang menyatakan bahwa selama ini kita tidak sendiri. Dr. Eleanor Arroway, direktur Proyek Argus, dialah yang pertama kali menyadari bahwa babak pertama sejarah umat manusia telah berakhir. Dialah yang menerjemahkan Pesan dan meyakinkan para kepala negara agar tidak memperlakukan Pesan itu sebagai ancaman. Pada tiap langkah yang dia ambil, tidak hanya Ellie mengalami kontak dengan yang extraterrestrial, tapi ia pun melakukan perjalanan yang jauh lebih bermakna ke dalam dirinya sendiri. Kontak pertama kali diterbitkan pada 1985, setelah Dr. Carl Sagan menulis Kosmos, buku sainsnya yang populer. Bila dalam Kosmos Dr. Sagan menjelaskan alam semesta; dalam Kontak ia memprediksi masa depan alam semesta—dan umat manusia.

Contato com extraterrestres não é sinônimo de homenzinhos verdes desembarcando de um disco voador. É muito mais: sinais captados num radiotelescópio podem conter mensagens capazes de nos fazer repensar toda a nossa concepção da vida e do universo. Esse é o ponto de partida de Carl Sagan, que, aliando as tensões da melhor literatura ao conhecimento científico mais avançado, compõe um romance que pode provocar em nós todas as reações - menos a indiferença. Em Contato, o que está em jogo é o mundo tal como o conhecemos. Como quem faz uma aposta, Sagan nos convida a uma viagem assustadoramente fascinante pelo buraco negro que é a inteligência humana.

Though a well-regarded physicist, Carl Sagan (1934-1996) is best-known as a writer of popular nonfiction and science fiction and as the host of the PBS series Cosmos. Through his writings and spoken commentary, he worked to popularize interests in astronomy, the universe, and the possibility of extraterrestrial life. From the beginning of his public career, when he co-wrote Intelligent Life in the Universe to the very end as he worked on the 1997 film adaptation of his novel Contact, these subjects absorbed him. This interest in space was rooted in his understanding of the smallness and vulnerability of humanity measured against the immense size and power of the universe. This profound philosophical humility, mixed with personal exuberance, comes through in Conversations with Carl Sagan. In interviews and profiles, Sagan discusses with verve a wide variety of topics—the environment, nuclear disarmament, religion, politics, extraterrestrial life, astronomy, physics, robotics. Whether he is discussing his science fiction or his well-researched nonfiction works, his voice embraces reason and skepticism. This volume shows how Sagan, a lifelong skeptic, refined his views and expressed amazement that Earth, for all his belief in extraterrestrial life, encompasses everything about which he cared. Tom Head of Jackson, Mississippi, is a writer and poet whose work includes Women and Families (Voices from the Civil War), Possessions and Exorcisms (Fact or Fiction?), and 1966 (The Turbulent 60s).

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.

The story of fifteen billion years of cosmic evolution transforming matter and life into consciousness, of how science and civilisation grew up together, and of the forces and individuals who helped shape modern science. A story told with Carl Sagan's remarkable ability to make scientific ideas both comprehensible and exciting, based on his acclaimed television series.

Cosmos is one of the bestselling science books of all time. In clear-eyed prose, Sagan reveals a jewel-like blue world inhabited by a life form that is just beginning to discover its own identity and to venture into the vast ocean of space. Featuring a new introduction by Sagan's collaborator, Ann Druyan, and a new foreword by astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson, Cosmos retraces the fourteen billion years of cosmic evolution that have transformed matter into consciousness, exploring such topics as the origin of life, the human brain, Egyptian hieroglyphics, spacecraft missions, the death of the Sun, the evolution of galaxies, and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science. Includes introductory music: "Heaven and Hell" by Vangelis from Cosmos: A Personal Voyage used with permission from Druyan-Sagan Associates, Inc. All rights reserved. Length: 14 hrs and 31 mins

This visually stunning book with over 250 full-color illustrations, many of them never before published, is based on Carl Sagan’s thirteen-part television series. Told with Sagan’s remarkable ability to make scientific ideas both comprehensible and exciting, Cosmos is about science in its broadest human context, how science and civilization grew up together. The book also explores spacecraft missions of discovery of the nearby planets, the research in the Library of ancient Alexandria, the human brain, Egyptian hieroglyphics, the origin of life, the death of the Sun, the evolution of galaxies and the origins of matter, suns and worlds. Sagan retraces the fifteen billion years of cos-mic evolution that have transformed matter into life and consciousness, enabling the Cosmos to wonder about itself. He considers the latest findings on life elsewhere and how we might communicate with the beings of other worlds. Cosmos is the story of our long journey of discovery and the forces and individuals who helped to shape modern science, including Democritus, Hypatia, Kepler, Newton, Huy-gens, Champollion, Lowell and Humason. Sagan looks at our planet from an extra-terrestrial vantage point and sees a blue jewel-like world, inhabited by a lifeform that is just beginning to discover its own unity and to ven-ture into the vast ocean of space.

Carl Sagan sinnt über die gegenwärtige Lage des wissenschaftlichen Denkens nach, was ihm wunderbar Gelegenheit bietet, uns mit seinen eigenen Kindheitserfahrungen, Pressearchiven, UFO-Geschichten und dem vielfältigen Strandgut der Pseudowissenschaft zu unterhalten. Zwischendurch entlarvt er Entführungen durch Außerirdische, Gesundbeterei und Channeling als Nonsens; er widerlegt die Behauptung, daß die Wissenschaft die Spiritualität zerstört, und bietet ein "Quatsch-Erkennungs-Kit" für das gründliche Durchdenken von politischen, gesellschaftlichen, religiösen und anderen Fragen.

¿Estamos al borde de una nueva edad oscura de irracionalismo y superstición? En este libro conmovedor y argumentado con brillantez, el científico de renombre internacional Carl Sagan demuestra que el pensamiento científico es necesario para salvaguardar nuestras instituciones democráticas y nuestra civilización técnica. El mundo y sus demonios es más personal y está más lleno de historias humanas entrañables y reveladoras que todo lo escrito por Sagan anteriormente. El autor, con las experiencias de su propia infancia y la apasionante historia de los descubrimientos de la ciencia, muestra cómo el metodo del pensamiento racional puede superar prejuicios y superticiones para dejar al descubierto la verdad, que, con frecuencia, resulta sorprendente. Desenmascara de forma convincente las «abducciones por extraterrestres», los «canalizadores», el fraude de los curanderos, la «cara en Marte», entre otras muchas falacias. Rechaza, asimismo, la idea de que la ciencia destruye la espiritualidad o de que es otro sistema arbitrario de creencias. Se pregunta por qué la actividad científica suele ser hoy estigmatizada, discute los peligros de utilizar mal la ciencia y proporciona un «método de detección de camelos» en el pensamiento político, social y religioso. Controvertido, provocador y sugestivo, El mundo y sus demonios será sin duda un libro del que se hablará y discutirá con pasión.

Psevdoelmin mifləri, "Yeni çağ" düşüncəsi və təəssübkeşliklə elmin sınanıla bilən fərziyyələri arasındakı fərqi bilməsək, texnologiyanın getdikcə daha çox rol oynadığı həyatımızda rasional qərarları necə verə bilərik? Karl Saqan tarixə və mədəniyyətə geniş perspektivdən baxaraq, cadugərlik, dua ilə şəfa, iblislər və UNO-lar kimi geniş yayılmış illüziyaları analizlə ifşa edir. Çağımız "informasiya dövrü" adlandırılsa da, mövzusu "yadplanetlilər tərəfindən qaçırılma" və ekstrasenslik olan psevdoelm geniş yayılır, müştərək hallüsinasiyalar diqqət çəkir və ciddi qəbul edilir. Saqan ağılsızlığın siren nəğməsinin sadəcə səhv yola dönmək yox, həm də fundamental hüquqlarımızı təhdid edən qaranlığa qərq olmaq mənasına gəldiyini çox sərrast şəkildə izah edir.

Kosmos jest opowieścią o długiej odkrywczej podróży ludzkości oraz o tych, którzy wywarli znaczący wpływ na postać współczesnej nauki. Carl Sagan z kosmicznej perspektywy spogląda na naszą planetę przypominającą błękitny klejnot, zamieszkaną przez istoty, które właśnie zaczynają poznawać sens jedności z otaczającym światem i wyprawiać się na rozległy ocean kosmosu. Dzięki jego zdumiewającej umiejętności przedstawiania zagadnień naukowych w sposób zarówno zrozumiały, jak i ekscytujący powstała przejrzysta opowieść o nauce, o tym, jak równocześnie rozwijały się i nauka, i cywilizacja. Autor omawia m.in. działalność starożytnej Biblioteki Aleksandryjskiej, pochodzenie życia oraz materii, gwiazd i planet, podstawy teorii ewolucji, misje sond kosmicznych. Rozważa również najnowsze odkrycia dotyczące życia poza Ziemią i sposoby ewentualnego porozumiewania się z istotami zamieszkującymi inne planety.

Gökyüzümüzdeki bu zarif ziyaretçiler neyin nesidir? An itibariyle biliyoruz ki, onlar hem hayatı hem de ölümü getirmiş; bize kendi kökenlerimizi öğretmişlerdir... Kuyrukluyıldız, uzayı bir baştan diğerine kat eden bir yıldızın nefes kesen bir yolculuğuyla başlar. Pulitzer ödülüne layık görülen astronot Carl Sagan ve yazar Ann Druyan bu kitapta, egzotik mit ve işaretlerle bezeli kuyrukluyıldızların kökenini, doğasını ve geleceğini araştırmak üzere keşfe çıkıyorlar. Yazarlar kuyrukluyıldızların bilim tarihindeki bazı büyük keşifleri ne şekilde kışkırttıklarını; yıldızlar arasındaki karanlıklardan parıltılarla çıkıp gelen bu ziyaretçiler hakkındaki büyüleyici soruları nasıl çoğalttıklarını gözler önüne sermektedir. Fotoğraf ve özel olarak hazırlanmış bol renkli resimleriyle Kuyrukluyıldız, gözlerini gökyüzüne dikip de niçin diye merak eden herkes için olmazsa olmaz bir kitap, büyüleyici bir macera... “Büyüleyici, yaratıcı ve ilham verici.” -The Washington Post- “Tek kelimeyle en iyisi.” -Times of London- “Kuyrukluyıldız bilimi herkesin anlayacağı hale getirmiş, güzel ve ilginç bir kitap.” -United Press International- “Bir başyapıt... Bilim, şiir ve hayal gücü.” -The Atlanta Journal & Constitution- (Tanıtım Bülteninden)

Carl Sagan fans and science book buyers can now listen to the essays of this popular scientist. These unabridged essays by Carl Sagan were originally published in either popular science magazines or academic journals. This is the first time his essays have become available on audio.

In 1977, two extraodinary spacecraft called Voyager were launched to the stars. Affixed to each Voyager craft was a gold-coated copped phonograph record as a message to possible extra-terrestrial civilizations that might encounter the spacecraft in some distant space and time. Each record contained 118 photographs of our planet; almost 90 minutes of the world's greatest music; an evolutionary audio essay on "The Sounds of Earth"; and greetings in almost sixty human languages (and one whale language). This book is an account, written by those chiefly responsible for the contents of the Voyager Record, of why they did it, how they selected the repertoire, and precisely what the record contains.

Assombrado com a escuridão que parece tomar conta do mundo, onde explicações pseudocientíficas e místicas ocupam cada vez mais os espaços dos meios de comunicação, Carl Sagan acende a vela do conhecimento científico para tentar iluminar os dias de hoje e recuperar os valores da racionalidade. Como todos os livros do autor, O mundo assombrado pelos demônios está cheio de informações surpreendentes, transmitidas com humor e graça. Seus ataques muitas vezes divertidos à falsa ciência, às concepções excêntricas e aos irracionalismos do momento são acompanhados por lembranças felizes da infância, quando seus pais o colocaram em contato pela primeira vez com os dois modelos de pensamento centrais para o método científico: o ceticismo e a admiração. Para aqueles que vivem bombardeados diariamente pelos fenômenos "fantásticos" da vida, este livro funciona como um tratamento de desintoxicação. Mais que uma vela bruxuleante, trata-se de um jato de luz a varrer os demônios do obscurantismo que pairam sobre nosso tempo.

Carl Sagan discusses the origin of life on earth, the importance comets in our evolutionary history, and how we know what we know.

Pulitzer Prize-winning author Carl Sagan traces our exploration of space and suggests that our very survival may depend on the wise use of other worlds. This stirring book reveals how scientific discovery has altered our perception of who we are and where we stand, and challenges us to weigh what we will do with that knowledge. Photos, many in color.

planets by carl sagan

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • “Exciting and provocative . . . A tour de force of a book that begs to be seen as well as to be read.”— The Washington Post Book World World renowned scientist Carl Sagan and acclaimed author Ann Druyan have written a Roots  for the human species, a lucid and riveting account of how humans got to be the way we are. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a thrilling saga that starts with the origin of the Earth. It shows with humor and drama that many of our key traits—self-awareness, technology, family ties, submission to authority, hatred for those a little different from ourselves, reason, and ethics—are rooted in the deep past, and illuminated by our kinship with other animals. Sagan and Druyan conduct a breathtaking journey through space and time, zeroing in on critical turning points in evolutionary history, and tracing the origins of sex, altruism, violence, rape, and dominance. Their book culminates in a stunningly original examination of the connection between primate and human traits. Astonishing in its scope, brilliant in its insights, and an absolutely compelling read, Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors is a triumph of popular science.

How can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don’t understand the difference between the myths of pseudoscience and the testable hypotheses of science? Pulitzer Prize-winning author and distinguished astronomer Carl Sagan argues that scientific thinking is critical not only to the pursuit of truth but to the very well-being of our democratic institutions. Casting a wide net through history and culture, Sagan examines and authoritatively debunks such celebrated fallacies of the past as witchcraft, faith healing, demons, and UFOs. And yet, disturbingly, in today's so-called information age, pseudoscience is burgeoning with stories of alien abduction, channeling past lives, and communal hallucinations commanding growing attention and respect. As Sagan demonstrates with lucid eloquence, the siren song of unreason is not just a cultural wrong turn but a dangerous plunge into darkness that threatens our most basic freedoms.

Dr. Carl Sagan takes us on a great reading adventure, offering his vivid and startling insight into the brain of man and beast, the origin of human intelligence, the function of our most haunting legends—and their amazing links to recent discoveries.

On the 10th anniversary of his death, brilliant astrophysicist and Pulitzer Prize winner Carl Sagan's prescient exploration of the relationship between religion and science and his personal search for God. Carl Sagan is considered one of the greatest scientific minds of our time. His remarkable ability to explain science in terms easily understandable to the layman in bestselling books such as Cosmos, The Dragons of Eden, and The Demon-Haunted World won him a Pulitzer Prize and placed him firmly next to Isaac Asimov, Stephen Jay Gould, and Oliver Sachs as one of the most important and enduring communicators of science. In December 2006 it will be the tenth anniversary of Sagan's death, and Ann Druyan, his widow and longtime collaborator, will mark the occasion by releasing Sagan's famous "Gifford Lectures in Natural Theology," The Varieties of Scientific Experience: A Personal View of the Search for God. The chance to give the Gifford Lectures is an honor reserved for the most distinguished scientists and philosophers of our civilization. In 1985, on the grand occasion of the centennial of the lectureship, Carl Sagan was invited to give them. He took the opportunity to set down in detail his thoughts on the relationship between religion and science as well as to describe his own personal search to understand the nature of the sacred in the vastness of the cosmos. The Varieties of Scientific Experience, edited, updated and with an introduction by Ann Druyan, is a bit like eavesdropping on a delightfully intimate conversation with the late great astronomer and astrophysicist. In his charmingly down-to-earth voice, Sagan easily discusses his views on topics ranging from manic depression and the possibly chemical nature of transcendance to creationism and so-called intelligent design to the likelihood of intelligent life on other planets to the likelihood of nuclear annihilation of our own to a new concept of science as "informed worship." Exhibiting a breadth of intellect nothing short of astounding, he illuminates his explanations with examples from cosmology, physics, philosophy, literature, psychology, cultural anthropology, mythology, theology, and more. Sagan's humorous, wise, and at times stunningly prophetic observations on some of the greatest mysteries of the cosmos have the invigorating effect of stimulating the intellect, exciting the imagination, and reawakening us to the grandeur of life in the cosmos.

Recorded at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the United Nations, this audio work features the Pulitzer Prize-wining author, Dr. Carl Sagan. His presentation evoked the sane tenets and mysteries offered in his immensely popular PBS series, "Cosmos", and his bestselling book, "The Dragons of Eden". These cassettes also include many of the world's leading religious and political leaders. Posthumously, Dr. Sagan's novel, "Contact", is now a major motion picture starring Jodie Foster and Matthew McConnaugh.

Карл Саган ясным и доступным языком рассказывает о проблеме возникновения и эволюции человеческой психики, об извечном противостоянии двух ее составляющих — эмоционально-образной и вербально-рациональной, о зарождении цивилизации и дальнейших перспективах ее развития, о происхождении таких феноменов, как сон, комплексы, страхи. Богатая аргументация делает книгу интересной как для широкого круга интересующихся проблемой антропогенеза, так и для профессионалов — биологов-эволюционистов, психологов. Книга удостоена Пулитцеровской премии (1978).