Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space
Ratings31
Average rating4.4
15
Ratings31
Average rating4.4
“Fascinating . . . memorable . . . revealing . . . perhaps the best of Carl Sagan’s books.”—The Washington Post Book World (front page review) In Cosmos, the late astronomer Carl Sagan cast his gaze over the magnificent mystery of the Universe and made it accessible to millions of people around the world. Now in this stunning sequel, Carl Sagan completes his revolutionary journey through space and time. Future generations will look back on our epoch as the time when the human race finally broke into a radically new frontier—space. In Pale Blue Dot, Sagan traces the spellbinding history of our launch into the cosmos and assesses the future that looms before us as we move out into our own solar system and on to distant galaxies beyond. The exploration and eventual settlement of other worlds is neither a fantasy nor luxury, insists Sagan, but rather a necessary condition for the survival of the human race. “Takes readers far beyond Cosmos . . . Sagan sees humanity’s future in the stars.”—Chicago Tribune
Reviews with the most likes.
“If our long term survival is at stake, we have a basic responsibility to our species to venture to other worlds. Sailors on a becalmed sea, we sense the stirring of a breeze.”
First published in 1994, this book contains profound ideas and vision so far ahead of its time.
To be able to read/listen to Carl Sagan's work is a privilege.
Particularly loved the chapter : Is there intelligent life on earth where he describes the signs of life which an alien race could observe by being in earth's orbit. Caught myself smiling deliriously at some of the simplest mentions of the ordinary. But it soon takes an ominous turn.
An excerpt:
“From your orbital perspective, you can see that something has unmistakably gone wrong. The dominant organisms, whoever they are???who have gone to so much trouble to rework the surface???are simultaneously destroying their ozone layer and their forests, eroding their topsoil, and performing massive, uncontrolled experiments on their planet???s climate. Haven???t they noticed what???s happening? Are they oblivious to their fate? Are they unable to work together on behalf of the environment that sustains them all?Perhaps, you think, it???s time to reassess the conjecture that there???s intelligent life on Earth.”
Again, this most definitely should be a required reading in high school.
This review is completely biased—I'm an enormous fan of Carl Sagan. He was one of the first science communicators I ever encountered, and since then, I've devoured Billions and Billions and The Demon-Haunted World. With each book, my love for astronomy has only deepened. This passion is entirely thanks to Sagan's brilliant and captivating writing. Each chapter offers a message, beautifully blending science, humanism, and a fervent hope for a better future. The last chapter is profoundly moving. I highly recommend this to everyone.
P.S. Hearing Sagan's voice in the first chapter almost brought me to tears at the start.
Wonderful and mind expanding book. It makes a great case for the space program and human exploration of space, but does not stop there. Entertaining and filled with great science.
I wonder if there lived anyone before and after Carl who could write about science with such poetry. This book is a statement for humanity, the Universe and everyone in it.
