Carl Sagan, an American astronomer, author, astrophysicist and communicator among other fields of sciences, has written Pale Blue Dot in order to extend ideas on the boundaries of space exploration for the future in order to assure that the human population can survive catastrophic events. He describes earth’s insignificance amongst the magnificent stars in space, how this thriving and sociable place we call home, is merely a pale blue dot amongst the majestic fireballs of blue and red gases and planets one hundred times the size of earth. Sagan first introduces the origins of human nature in order to formulate a common understanding on why humans treasure life so much and why so many of us believe that no other planet exists the same as earth. Our uniqueness bounds from human pride. Why and how the human body is so proud yet thoughtless is because of overconfidence which has led us to initially believe that the Earth was the center of the universe. Sagan explains that human pride is the reason why people had initially believed in the geocentric theory, that reason could not be factored into their mindset because human pride is so prized, and going against the conceit word of the church would be treason against a higher authority. In addition, scientific tools did not have the accuracy to disprove the geocentric theory, so the price of sedition was not worth the price of a indecisive theory.
Sagan then transitions from a human based standpoint to a broader point of view in order to acknowledge humility from understanding that we are not what we think we are, in the geocentric theory. Eventually Sagan explains the history of space travel and exploration in our solar system, because this type of exploration and science...
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...e capabilities to explore the beyond the boundaries of our knowledge. In addition, Sagan believes that NASA's decision to cut back exploration of the Moon after the Apollo program was a limited decision, despite the expense and the failing popularity of the program among the United States public. Sagan says future exploration of space should focus on ways to protect Earth and to extend human habitation beyond it. The book was published the year after the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 crashed into Jupiter, an event Sagan uses to highlight the danger Earth faces from the occasional asteroid or comet large enough to cause substantial damage if it were to hit Earth. He says we need the political will to track large extraterrestrial objects, or we risk losing everything. Sagan argues that in order to save the human race, space colonization and terraforming should be utilized.
Sagan starts his story by talking about the troubling fact that so many people in this world are scientifically illiterate. It is estimated that 95% of people are scientifically
The first three chapters of A Brief History of Time cover a variety of topics. In chapter one, Stephen Hawking tries to provide a single theory to describe the entire universe. Chapter two describes some of the ideas that scientists, mathematicians, philosophers, and physicians of the past had about gravity and theories of motion. The third chapter in the book talks about the work of many scientists of the past concerning whether the universe is expanding or not. In each chapter, Stephen Hawking describes several different things to solve the huge idea of the entire universe.
I have spent several days watching Carl Sagan’s “The Pale Blue Dot” YouTube video as well as reading the transcript located in the description section of the video. Panic stricken, I fought to conjure up a great thesis that will explain what I think the meaning of this video is. I am struggling with creating an essay that casts my personal reflection upon people that don’t know me from Adam, in the meantime watching the clock tick as I lose daylight once again with a blank sheet of good quality paper. So, I will proceed by stating that I am stuck in the idea that Carl Sagan, while being the well respected scientist that he was, wrote The Pale Blue Dot to challenge humans to stop fighting and get along, cancel the belief that there is a “higher power” that cares or loves us or impress upon his audience that there is no other place to dwell in this universe. I believe differently.
Richard P. Feynman was born in 1918 in Brooklyn; in 1942 he received his Ph.D. from Princeton. Already displaying his brilliance, Feynman played an important role in the development of the atomic bomb through his work in the Manhattan Project. In 1945 he became a physics teacher at Cornell University, and in 1950 he became a professor at the California Institute of Technology. He, along with Sin-Itero and Julian Schwinger, received the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1965 for his work in the field of quantum electrodynamics.
When considering this topic, one might ask themselves why explore space? We explore space to compare other planets with the earth and to study the sun, to explore the universe while finding if intelligent life exists, for satellites to improve communications, weather forecasting, navigation, resource monitoring, and “to create a focal point for a new intellectual renaissance” (Ruzic).
Human fascination with the stars is as ancient as Babylonians and has been suggested to be older than Stonehenge. From “be fruitful and multiply” to “live long and prosper,” the instinct to protect and propagate the species has manifested in religion, art, and the imaginations of countless individuals. As human understanding of space treks out of the fantastical and into the scientific, the realities of traveling through and living in space are becoming clearer. Exploring, investigating, and living in space pose an expansive series of problems. However, the solutions to the problems faced by mankind's desire to reach beyond the horizon, through the night sky, and into the stars are solutions that will help in all areas of life on Earth.
The space that surrounds is not merely the universe is not merely ideas of human minds.
“Why should we go into space? What is the justification for spending all the effort and money on getting a few lumps of moon rocks? Aren’t there better causes here on Earth?”- Stephen Hawking. Space is the everlasting, ever growing place where we happen to reside. From the beginning of intelligent life here on Earth, we have wanted to learn. Whether it be simply constructing a fire, or solving the riddles that still puzzle us to this day. Many of the questions we still have are pertaining to space. Are we alone? How did we get here? Where are we going? Many answers can come from exploring space. Getting a “few lumps of moon rock” can answer so many questions we asked ourselves for millennia. Can we truly belong in a place we do not know about? Space exploration will better us now and in the future for several reasons.
Since the beginning of time, mankind has sought after learning about and exploring the universe. This yearning drove us to achieve such great things as the journey to the moon and the discovery of water on mars. Nowadays, several people argue as to whether or not space exploration is worth the effort. I believe that it is humanity’s instinctual nature to pursue a better understanding of ourselves, and our universe. Further understanding of our universe will lead to the discovery of new technologies and ways to secure humanity’s survivability. As such, this essay will argue that space exploration is a necessity to our kind and that NASA should be progressively more financed.
Carl Sagan in his “Pale Blue Dot” purpose is to convince the audience that they need to consider their vulnerable position in the universe and let this knowledge motivate them to improve the way they treat each other and the planet. What the author is doing is getting his audience to get up and take notice of the world around them and show them how small mankind truly is. Mr. Sagan uses Pathos to show how insignificant the planet Earth truly is by stating, “Consider again that dot. That’s here. That’s home. That’s us”. Sagan gets our emotions involved by showing us just how important a pale blue dot can be to just one species from six billion kilometers. Referring to the earth as our home supports his claim that we should protect the planet
Many people who live on Earth are close minded to what is really out there in the universe. They cannot even begin to fathom the vastness of it and how Earth is just a tiny little speck compared to everything else out there. From the planets to the stars and out towards the edge of the unknown, we can only see what science provides us with. From this, we know that we are nothing but a tiny planet located in a solar system of millions in a galaxy of many more in the universe.
...t is that human reasoning abilities have allowed mankind to develop a virtual telescope far beyond the reach of our newest space viewing technologies. With this theory, humans come closer to realizing our place within the multiverse and the uniqueness of our own universe. The conflicting ideas, though difficult to prove one way or another, provide an impetus that will stimulate further research into this field, opening new doors and potentially useful technologies that could further humans’ understanding of everything on which our knowledge rests.
“Sheltered as we are by Earth's atmosphere and magnetic field, which deflect lethal radiation from space, we are like coddled children who have never ventured into a tough neighborhood” (Folger 2). Humans have been fascinated with space since the beginning of our time. Just like children and rough neighborhoods, we have tackled obstacle over obstacle to make it home again. In the end, we have a better knowledge and strength than before. The future of space exploration can assist us in answering the everlasting question of how the universe came to be. The more we explore the infinite galaxies, the more we can scientifically discover and create new technologies as science advances. As we continue to discover, we can create new fields and occupations for aspiring young students like myself.
An Astronomy topic that has always been intriguing is space travel. The ability to rocket into space, look down on Earth, and “…explore strange new worlds, to seek out new life and new civilizations, to boldly go where no man has gone before” (IMDB) is an adventure that people dream of experiencing. On July 20, 1969, an estimated six million people watched Neil Armstrong become the first man to walk on the Moon (Nixon Library). Presently, people are paying Virgin Galactic $250,000 to reserve a seat on a spaceship that is expected to tour suborbital space in the near future (Virgin Galactic). Although space travel continues to be of interest, there is also some controversy. Controversies include: the allocation of government resources for space exploration, government verses commercial spacecrafts, and the need to colonize other planets for the survival of humanity. The intrigue and the controversy of space travel are the reasons for this Astronomy conversation.
...n will look upon this star as their fatherland; its progress will be their ambition; the gratitude of others their reward. These bodies which now we: wear belong to the lower animals; our minds have already outgrown them; already we look upon them with contempt. A time will come when Science will transform them by means which we cannot conjecture, and which, even if explained to us, we could not now under stand, just as the savage cannot understand electricity, magnetism, steam. Disease will be extirpated; the causes of decay will be removed; immortality will be invented. And then, the earth being small, mankind will migrate into space, and will cross the airless Saharas which separate planet from planet, and sun from sun. The earth will become a Holy Land which will be visited by pilgrims from all the quarters of the universe. Finally, men will master the forces of Nature; they will become themselves architects of systems, manufacturers of worlds.