Carl Sagan
| Famous as | Astronomer, Astrophysicist, Writer |
| Born on | 09 November 1934 |
| Born in | Brooklyn, New York, United States |
| Died on | 20 December 1996 |
| Nationality | United States |
| Works & Achievements | He started the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI), Opened the field of exobiology, Made Science Popular |
Carl Sagan Childhood
Carl Sagan was born on 9 November 1934 in Brooklyn, New York to
Russian Jewish parents. Carl’s father Sam Sagan, was a Russian immigrant
garment worker while his mother Rachel Molly Gruber was a housewife.
Carl got his name in honour of his mother Rachel's biological mother,
Chaiya Clara whom Carl referred to as “the mother she never knew”.
Sagan received his graduation from Rahway High School in Rahway,
New Jersey, in 1951. Sagan’s family lived a modest life in a mediocre
apartment near the Atlantic Ocean, in Bensonhurst which was in the
Brooklyn neighbourhood. Sagan family were reformed Jews who were
considered the most liberal of the three main Jewish groups. According
to Sagan and his sister’s accounts Sagan’s father was not a very
religious person whereas their mother was a pious lady spending her time
in Godly things and temple visits. The family witnessed the Great
Depression during which Sagan’s father took up a job as a theatre usher.
Sagan got a very difficult and different upbringing full of inner
turmoil as his parents were different in their approaches and beliefs.
According to Sagan his parents did not in any way represent or initiate
scientific interest in him but his curious nature, scepticism and wonder
(that helped him in his later scientific quests and formation of
scientific methods) were inculcated in him due to his parents’
influences and upbringing. It was in 1939 New York World's Fair where
Sagan’s parents had taken Sagan when he was a young boy of 4 or 5. Sagan
accounts the visit to the fair as one of his best experiences as a
child. The exhibits are believed to have changed Sagan’s life
completely. His parents grew his interest in science by buying
him chemistry sets and reading materials. Since childhood, Sagan had
remained deeply interested in space. He extensively read science fiction
stories by writers such as Edgar Rice Burroughs which brought him into the imaginary world of life on other planets, such as Mars.
Education
Sagan was a genius to have educated himself in all the fields of
arts, science and science specializations. He enrolled himself in the
University of Chicago from where he earned his bachelor of arts with
general and special honors in 1954, a bachelor of science in 1955, and a
master of science in physics in 1956. Sagan went on to receive his
doctor of philosophy in astronomy and astrophysics in 1960. While in his
graduating days, Sagan actively participated in the Ryerson
Astronomical Society at the university. Sagan had worked in the
laboratory of the geneticist H. J. Muller while he was an undergraduate.
Sagan remained a Miller Fellow at the University of California,
Berkeley from 1960 to 1962.
Career
Sagan started his career working at the Smithsonian Astrophysical
Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts from 1962 to 1968. Sagan
continued with his research and gave lectures at Harvard University
until 1968. It was after this that he moved his base to Cornell
University in New York where he was appointed as the full time professor
1971. He was in Cornell when he started to direct the Laboratory for
Planetary Studies. Sagan turned the Associate Director of the Center for
Radio Physics and Space Research at Cornell which he served from 1972
to 1981.
The American Space Program is proudly indebted to Sagan for its
birth. Sagan was a key figure from the start of the American space
program. He had started working as an advisor to NASA from the 1950s
itself. Sagan had the role of briefing the Apollo astronauts before
their flights took off for moon. Sagan was integral in designing and
taking part in various robotic spacecraft missions exploring the solar
system. Sagan contributed on several experiments on many of the
expeditions. He created and conceived the idea of formulating an
universal message, on spacecraft destined that was leaving the solar
system which could possibly be understood by any extraterrestrial
intelligence who might find the spacecraft.
Sagan was the initiator behind the first successful physical
message that was sent into space - a gold-anodized plaque, attached to
the space probe Pioneer 10, which was launched in 1972. Sagan continued
with his designs of scripted messages sent along with the spacecrafts.
He became successful in 1977 when he developed an elaborate message and
helped in assembling the Voyager Golden Record that was sent out with
the Voyager space probes in the same year.
Sagan had been vocal about the decisions to fund the Space Shuttle
and Space Station which he felt were unnecessary as he felt further
robotic missions held more importance and relevance. He taught at
Cornell University where he had a course on critical thinking which he taught till he died in 1996 from pneumonia.
Scientific Ideas, Achievements and Contributions
Sagan believed in the existence of high temperatures on the surface
of the planet Venus. Even till the early 1960s no one was sure about
Venus’s basic surface conditions. With Sagan’s massive contributions it
was discovered that planet Venus had very high surface temperatures.
Sagan submitted his report on the possibilities which later depicted for
popularization in a Time-Life book, ‘Planets’. Sagan extensively
investigated and recorded radio emissions from Venus and concluded that
there was a surface temperature of
500 °C (900 °F) which confirmed his previous belief that Venus was dry
and very hot contradicting the existing belief that the temperature was
pleasant. Being the visiting scientist to NASA's Jet Propulsion
Laboratory Sagan played a leading role in the first Mariner missions to
Venus in which he took part in the design and management of the project.
It was in 1962 that Mariner 2 confirmed Sagan’s conclusions on Venus’s
surface conditions.
Sagan studied on Mars and its surface colour variations. Sagan
noticed and recorded that the changes were not due to seasonal or
vegetation changes as widely believed but was the result of shifts in
surface dust caused by windstorms.
On 16 November 1974 Sagan helped Dr. Frank Drake write a radio
message, Arecibo message which was sent into the space from the Arecibo
radio telescope. The message was targeted at informing extraterrestrials
about the existence of Earth.
Sagan was a great Science Communicator as he splendidly conveyed
his ideas which made people easily understand the cosmos and the worth
of the human race. Sagan explained how earth was unimportant in entity
when compared with the vast universe. In 1977 Sagan gave his series of
speeches ‘Royal Institution Christmas Lectures’ in London. Sagan became
the host, co-writer and co-producer with Ann Druyan to present the
thirteen-part PBS television series “Cosmos: A Personal Voyage modeled
on Jacob Bronowski's The Ascent of Man” which went on to become very
popular.
Sagan became widely popular for his studies and extensive
researches on his theories and records confirming the existence of
extraterrestrial life. Sagan’s studies include experimental
demonstration of the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by
radiation. He was the proponent of scientific communities working on ET
(the Extraterrestrial). Sagan approached and requested the scientific
community to intently listen and record signals from intelligent
extraterrestrial life-forms with the help of radio telescopes. It was in
1982 that Sagan’s ET quest took brilliant shape as he got to form a
petition which was affirmed and signed by 70 scientists advocating SETI
(Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) published in the journal
Science. These scientists included seven Nobel Prize winners. This was a
great achievement for Sagan. His field of study was considered
controversial and with such massive response Sagan got to rise high.
Sagan received the Public Welfare Medal which is considered the
highest award of the National Academy of Sciences in 1994 for his
“distinguished contributions in the application of science to the public
welfare” according to the Academy. Sagan was excluded from the
Academy’s list of members for his growing media activities that made him
unpopular with many other scientists.
Sagan served as the chief technology officer of the professional
planetary research journal ‘Icarus’ for twelve years. He was the
co-founder of ‘Planetary Society’ which was regarded as the largest
space-interest group in the world boasting of more than 100,000 members
in 149 countries and above. Sagan was also a member of the SETI
Institute Board of Trustees. Sagan was the Chairman of the Division for
Planetary Science of the American Astronomical Society and the President
of the Planetology Section, American Geophysical Union. Sagan also
served as the Chairman of the Astronomy Section of the American
Association for the Advancement of Science.
In January 1991 Sagan stated that huge amount of smoke emitted from
1991 Kuwaiti oil fires “might get so high as to disrupt agriculture in
much of South Asia…” However, Sagan’s prediction did not come true, but
in 2007 it was found (through a study) that smoke from fires that
covered large areas, like forest fires or burning of cities which are
usually expected to follow a nuclear strike, would most likely loft
significant amounts of smoke into the stratosphere.
Sagan had studied to find Earth objects that might impact the
Earth. Sagan had become popular for his frequent appearances on ‘The
Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson’ for his role in ‘Cosmos’. Sagan was
associated with the catch phrase “billions and billions” which he had
denied of using, but he talked of “billions upon billions” in his book
‘Cosmos’. By billions on billions Sagan allegedly referred to the large
cosmic quantities present in the universe which are the cause of wonder
and the vastness arouses amazement.
Personal Life
Sagan married biologist Lynn Margulis in 1957. His second marriage
was with artist Linda Salzman in 1968. Sagan got married to author Ann
Druyan in 1981. Isaac Asmimov had described Sagan as the only person
having an intellect much higher than Asimov’s. Sagan criticised religion
but denied being an atheist. He often replied to questions about his
religious beliefs with “I'm agnostic”.
Awards
Sagan had won several awards and honours throughout his life. Some of the notable ones are listed here:
Miller Research Fellowship – Miller Institute (1960–1962)
Klumpke-Roberts Award of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific – 1974
Annual Award for Television Excellence – The Ohio State University for PBS series ‘Cosmos’ - 1981
Hugo Award for ‘Cosmos’ – 1981
Isaac Asimov Award – Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal – 1994
John F. Kennedy Astronautics Award – American Astronautical Society
NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal – National Aeronautics and Space Administration (twice)
SF Chronicle Award for ‘Contact’ – 1998
Death
Sagan suffered from myelodysplasia (a blood disease) for a long
time. His suffering included three bone marrow transplants. Sagan died
20 December 1996 after suffering from pneumonia at the age of 62. He
breathed his last at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle,
Washington after which he was buried at Lakeview Cemetery in Ithaca, New
York.
| ||||
Timeline: | ||||
1934 – He was born on 9 November
1939 – He was taken to the New York World's Fair
by his when he was a young boy of 4 or 5. Sagan accounts the visit to
the fair as one of his best experiences as a child
1950s - He had started working as an advisor to NASA
1951 - Sagan received his graduation from Rahway High School in Rahway, New Jersey
1954 - He earned his bachelor of arts with general and special honors from University of Chicago
1955 – He received his bachelor of science from University of Chicago
1956 – He got his master of science in physics University of Chicago
Sagan married biologist Lynn Margulis in 1957
1960 - Sagan went on to receive his doctor of philosophy in astronomy and astrophysics
1960 to 1962 - Sagan remained a Miller Fellow at the University of California, Berkeley
1962 - Mariner 2 confirmed Sagan’s conclusions on Venus’s surface conditions
1962 to 1968 - Sagan started his career working at the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory in Cambridge, Massachusetts
1968 - Sagan continued with his research and gave lectures at Harvard University until 1968
1968 – He moved to Cornell University in New York
1968 - His second marriage was with artist Linda Salzman
1971 - He was appointed as the full time professor at Cornell University
1972 - Sagan was the initiator behind the first
successful physical message that was sent into space - a gold-anodized
plaque, attached to the space probe Pioneer 10, which was launched in
1972
1972 to 1981 - Sagan turned the Associate Director of the Center for Radio Physics and Space Research at Cornell
|
0 comments:
Post a Comment