Reviews
'Sagan’s writing can still inspire and stimulate. It deserves to be read by a new generation of scientists, scientifically inclined citizens, and indeed by any person with an interest in our place, and our future, in the cosmos.’Ian Crawford, The Observatory, 'Carl Sagan is a scientist of quality, who is also a writer of quality. [With] great intelligence, wit, and insight [The Cosmic Connection] is a success on every level.' Washington Post, 'Sagan's writing can still inspire and stimulate. It deserves to be read by a new generation of scientists, scientifically inclined citizens, and indeed by any person with an interest in our place, and our future, in the cosmos.' Ian Crawford, The Observatory, 'This book ... is a monument to a great man who succeeded, in spite of failures and disappointments, in changing our view of our planet and changing the way we think about the universe.' Freeman Dyson, author of Origins of Life, 'This book … is a monument to a great man who succeeded, in spite of failures and disappointments, in changing our view of our planet and changing the way we think about the universe.' Freeman Dyson, author of Origins of Life, 'Because [Carl Sagan] lived, the world’s a better place.’Keay Davidson, Biographer 'A Milestone in Popular Science Writing.’Astronomy, "A perfect opener for readers new to Sagan's work....this informative text illuminates how our perspective on earth's place in the universe has evolved in the last half-century. Sagan's witty text is still a standard for stargazers as well as a reflection of how far society has to go." Publishers Weekly, "Carl Sagan is a scientist of quality, who is also a writer of quality. [With] great intelligence, wit, and insight, The Cosmic Connection is a success on every level." Washington Post, 'Because [Carl Sagan] lived, the world's a better place.'Keay Davidson, Biographer 'A Milestone in Popular Science Writing.'Astronomy, 'Because [Carl Sagan] lived, the world's a better place.' Keay Davidson, Biographer 'A Milestone in Popular Science Writing.' Astronomy, 'The astronomical discoveries we are in the midst of making are of the broadest human significance. If this book plays a small role in broadening public consideration of these exploratory ventures, it will have served its purpose.' Carl Sagan
Table of Content
Foreword Freeman Dyson; Personal reflections Ann Druyan; Preface; Part I. Cosmic Perspective: 1. A transitional animal; 2. The Unicorn of Cetus; 3. A message from earth; 4. A message to earth; 5. Experiments in utopias; 6. Chauvinism; 7. Space exploration as a human enterprise I. The scientific interest; 8. Space exploration as a human enterprise II. The public interest; 9. Space exploration as a human enterprise III. The historical interest; Part II. The Solar System: 10. On teaching the first grade; 11. 'The ancient and legendary Gods of old'; 12. The Venus detective story; 13. Venus is hell; 14. Science and 'intelligence'; 15. The moons of Barsoom; 16. The mountains of Mars I. Observations from earth; 17. The mountains of Mars II. Observations from space; 18. The canals of Mars; 19. The lost pictures of Mars; 20. The Ice Age and the cauldron; 21. Beginnings and ends of the Earth; 22. Terraforming the plants; 23. The exploration and utlization of the solar system; Part III. Beyond the Solar System: 24. Some of my best friends are dolphins; 25. 'Hello, central casting? Send me twenty extraterrestrials'; 26. The cosmic connection; 27. Extraterrestrial life: an idea whose time has come; 28. Has the Earth been visited?; 29. A search strategy for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence; 30. If we succeed ... ; 31. Cables, drums, and seashells; 32. The night freight to the stars; 33. Astroengineering; 34. Twenty questions: a classification of cosmic civilisations; 35. Galactic cultural exchanges; 36. A passage to elsewhere; 37. Starfolk I. A Fable; 38. Starfolk II. A future; 39. Starfolk III. The cosmic Cheshire cats; Epilog David Morrison; Index. of my best friends are dolphins; 25. 'Hello, central casting? Send me twenty extraterrestrials'; 26. The cosmic connection; 27. Extraterrestrial life: an idea whose time has come; 28. Has the Earth been visited?; 29. A search strategy for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence; 30. If we succeed ... ; 31. Cables, drums, and seashells; 32. The night freight to the stars; 33. Astroengineering; 34. Twenty questions: a classification of cosmic civilisations; 35. Galactic cultural exchanges; 36. A passage to elsewhere; 37. Starfolk I. A Fable; 38. Starfolk II. A future; 39. Starfolk III. The cosmic Cheshire cats; Epilog David Morrison; Index. of my best friends are dolphins; 25. 'Hello, central casting? Send me twenty extraterrestrials'; 26. The cosmic connection; 27. Extraterrestrial life: an idea whose time has come; 28. Has the Earth been visited?; 29. A search strategy for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence; 30. If we succeed ... ; 31. Cables, drums, and seashells; 32. The night freight to the stars; 33. Astroengineering; 34. Twenty questions: a classification of cosmic civilisations; 35. Galactic cultural exchanges; 36. A passage to elsewhere; 37. Starfolk I. A Fable; 38. Starfolk II. A future; 39. Starfolk III. The cosmic Cheshire cats; Epilog David Morrison; Index. of my best friends are dolphins; 25. 'Hello, central casting? Send me twenty extraterrestrials'; 26. The cosmic connection; 27. Extraterrestrial life: an idea whose time has come; 28. Has the Earth been visited?; 29. A search strategy for detecting extraterrestrial intelligence; 30. If we succeed ... ; 31. Cables, drums, and seashells; 32. The night freight to the stars; 33. Astroengineering; 34. Twenty questions: a classification of cosmic civilisations; 35. Galactic cultural exchanges; 36. A passage to elsewhere; 37. Starfolk I. A Fable; 38. Starfolk II. A future; 39. Starfolk III. The cosmic Cheshire cats; Epilog David Morrison; Index.; 33. Astroengineering; 34. Twenty questions: a classification of cosmic civilisations; 35. Galactic cultural exchanges; 36. A passage to elsewhere; 37. Starfolk I. A Fable; 38. Starfolk II. A future; 39. Starfolk III. The cosmic Cheshire cats; Epilog David Morrison; Index.
