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)
Life, living matter and, as such, matter that shows certain attributes that include responsiveness, growth, metabolism, energy transformation, and reproduction. Although a noun, as with other defined entities, the word life might be better cast as a verb to reflect its essential status as a…
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Publications (3)
The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark
"A glorious book . . . A spirited defense of science . . . From the first page to the last, this book is a manifesto for clear thought." *Los Angeles Times"POWERFUL . . . A stirring defense of informed rationality. . . Rich in surprising information and beautiful writing." *The Washington Post Book WorldHow can we make intelligent decisions about our increasingly technology-driven lives if we don't understand the difference between...
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The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence
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.
"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
The Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Broca's Brain and Cosmos takes...
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