Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan is a noted contributor to Encyclopaedia Britannica online. Read Britannica's biography of Carl Sagan
Astronomer and science writer Carl Sagan (1934-96) was a highly popular and influential figure in the United States and controversial in scientific, political, and religious circles for his views on extraterrestrial intelligence, nuclear weapons, and religion. His prolific writings included Britannica’s article on “Life,” which was later updated by his wife, Lynn Margulis, and son, Dorion Sagan.
Carl Sagan is the author of The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence; Cosmos; and others.
Photograph: NASA
Primary Contributions (2)
Extraterrestrial life, life that may exist or may have existed in the universe outside of Earth. The search for extraterrestrial life encompasses many fundamental scientific questions. What are the basic requirements for life? Could life have arisen elsewhere in the solar system? Are there other…
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Publications (3)
Cosmos (December 2013)
Renowned astronomer Carl Sagan’s classic bestseller that “dives into the past, present, and future of science, dealing with the mind-staggering enormity of the cosmos in which we exist” (Associated Press)—with an Introduction by Ann Druyan and a Foreword by Neil deGrasse Tyson
“Sagan dazzles the mind with the miracle of our survival, framed by the stately galaxies of space.”—Cosmopolitan
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE FOX MINISERIES COSMOS: POSSIBLE WORLDS, HOSTED...
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“Sagan dazzles the mind with the miracle of our survival, framed by the stately galaxies of space.”—Cosmopolitan
THE INSPIRATION FOR THE FOX MINISERIES COSMOS: POSSIBLE WORLDS, HOSTED...
The Demon-Haunted World Science as a Candle in the Dark (February 1997)
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • From the renowned astronomer and author of Cosmos comes a “powerful [and] stirring defense of informed rationality” (The Washington Post Book World) in a world where fake news stories and Internet conspiracy theories play to a disaffected American populace.
LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER • “Glorious . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los...
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LOS ANGELES TIMES BOOK PRIZE WINNER • “Glorious . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought.”—Los...
Dragons of Eden Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence (December 1986)
“A history of the human brain from the big bang, fifteen billion years ago, to the day before yesterday . . . It's a delight.”—The New York Times
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.
“How can I persuade every intelligent person to read this important and...
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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.
“How can I persuade every intelligent person to read this important and...
