Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space

· Ballantine Books
4.7
119 reviews
Ebook
384
Pages

About this ebook

“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

Ratings and reviews

4.7
119 reviews
Giannis Gavras
July 18, 2013
... if not for the app that does not work in the country I live in (Finland). I hope the clopyright laws are appeased and I get the chance to enjoy the thoughts of the greatest science teacher of the 20th century...
Joy J
June 24, 2014
Really makes you appreciate our world and planet. Beautifully written, wonderfully insightful. Inspirational in his hopes for the futures despite looming challenges that humanity must overcome.
1 person found this review helpful
Kristopher Williams
April 30, 2013
I was introduced to this book from stumbling with astronomy chosen as a topic I'm interested in. I was taken to a page that had an excerpt from this book and ,y life hasn't been the same since. Since then I've of course purchased the book and several others. Very inspirational and enlightening. A must read for anybody that has a craving to learn more about this space you live in. I'd also recommend watching his YouTube videos and check out Neil degrasse Tyson as well. He's another great astrophysicist.
1 person found this review helpful

About the author

Carl Sagan served as the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the Mariner, Viking, Voyager, and Galileo spacecraft expeditions, for which he received the NASA Medals for Exceptional Scientific Achievement and (twice) for Distinguished Public Service.
 
His Emmy- and Peabody–winning television series, Cosmos, became the most widely watched series in the history of American public television. The accompanying book, also called Cosmos, is one of the bestselling science books ever published in the English language. Dr. Sagan received the Pulitzer Prize, the Oersted Medal, and many other awards—including twenty honorary degrees from American colleges and universities—for his contributions to science, literature, education, and the preservation of the environment. In their posthumous award to Dr. Sagan of their highest honor, the National Science Foundation declared that his “research transformed planetary science . . . his gifts to mankind were infinite." Dr. Sagan died on December 20, 1996.

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