Carl sagan short biography

(1934-1996)

Who Was Carl Sagan?

Astronomer Carl Sagan graduated from the University of Chicago, where he studied planets and explored theories of extraterrestrial intelligence. He was named director of Cornell’s Laboratory for Planetary Studies in 1968 and worked with NASA on several projects. An anti-nuclear activist, Sagan introduced the idea of “nuclear winter” in 1983. He wrote one novel, several books and academic papers and the TV series Cosmos, which was reborn on TV in 2014.

Early Years

Carl Edward Sagan was born on November 9, 1934, in Brooklyn, New York, the first of two children. Sagan’s interest in astronomy began early on, and when he was five, his mother sent him to the library to find books on the stars. Soon after, his parents took him to the New York World’s Fair, where visions of the future piqued his interest further. He also quickly became a fan of the prevalent 1940s science-fiction stories in pulp magazines and was drawn in by reports of flying saucers that suggested extraterrestrial life.

Sagan graduated high school in 1951 at age 16 and headed to the University of Chicago, where experiments he conducted drove his fascination with the possibility of alien life. In 1955, Sagan graduated with a B.A. in physics, and he received his masters a year later. Four years later, Sagan moved to California after obtaining a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics, landing at the University of California, Berkeley, as a fellow in astronomy. There, he helped a team develop an infrared radiometer for NASA’s Mariner 2 robotic probe.

Further Work With NASA and Fringe Science

The 1960s found Sagan at Harvard University and the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory, where his work centered on the physical conditions of the planets, particularly those of Venus and Jupiter. In 1968, Sagan became the director of Cornell University’s Laboratory for Planetary Studies, and three years later, he became a full professor. Working again with NASA

Dedication of the Carl Sagan Center
By Leslie Mullen
NASA Astrobiology Institute
November 26, 2001

On Friday, November 9, 2001, on what would have been Carl Sagan’s 67th birthday, the NASA Ames Research Center dedicated the site for the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Cosmos. The cornerstone for the new Center was unveiled during the dedication ceremony.

“Carl was an incredible visionary, and now his legacy can be preserved and advanced by a 2lst century research and education laboratory committed to enhancing our understanding of life in the universe and furthering the cause of space exploration for all time,” said NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin.

The nature of life on Earth and the search for life elsewhere are two sides of the same question – the search for who we are.- Carl Sagan

The Sagan Center will be located in the planned NASA Research Park at Moffett Field, California, adjacent to the NASA Ames Research Center. As currently planned, the project could include approximately 700,000 square feet of new construction on more than 21 acres. The Sagan Center will consist of three 30,000-square-foot laboratory modules, with the potential to add a fourth module at a later date. The Center will also house a 30,000-square-foot public gallery exhibition area and a 500-seat auditorium.

The Sagan Center will be a huge step forward toward NASA’s goal of developing a world-class, shared-use research and development campus in association with academia, industry and non-profits. The Center is specifically designed to increase the interplay of scientists in fields for which there is no obvious common ground. The modular design of the planned laboratories will provide the necessary flexibility for future change and evolution.

Research at the facility will focus on the many questions facing astrobiologists about life on Earth and in the Universe. A genomics and microbiology laboratory will be use

Chapter 4

David Morrison

NASA, Ames Research Center

INTRODUCTION

Carl Sagan was the world’s best known scientist in the late 20th century, serving as our guide to the planets during the golden age of solar system exploration. He was both a visionary and a committed defender of rational scientific thinking. For a time, he transcended the usual categories of academics to become a true celebrity. His life illustrates both the advantages (wealth, fame, access to the seats of power) and burdens (loss of privacy, stress, criticism from academic colleagues) this status implies.

Sagan was propelled on his academic and public careers by a wealth of talent, a large share of good luck, and an intensely focused drive to succeed. His lifelong quest was to understand the universe, especially our planetary system, and to communicate the thrill of scientific discovery to others. A natural teacher, he loved to explain things and never made a questioner feel stupid for asking. Although Sagan had broad intellectual interests, his pursuit of his career left little time for other activities: he did not play golf or follow sports, take up painting or cooking or photography, sing or play a musical instrument, join a church or synagogue, or watch much television or movies. His first two wives complained that he devoted insufficient time to his marriage or his children (1). It is perhaps a matter of personal taste whether we attribute this drive to personal ego or a genuine commitment to educate and inspire people about science.Undoubtedly there were elements of both motivations present.

Many physical scientists, especially those engaged in what might be called “exploration science”, would like to be able to communicate with the public about their discoveries. Astronomers and planetary scientists as a group have a reputation in academic circles for successful public advocacy, whi