Carl Sagan examines the boundary between rigorous scientific inquiry and the fringes of pseudoscience, beginning with the preserved brain of neurologist Paul Broca. The collection addresses the mechanics of the solar system, specifically the atmospheric conditions of Venus and the planetary dynamics of Mars. Sagan provides a direct rebuttal to Immanuel Velikovsky’s catastrophic theories and details the mathematical search for extraterrestrial intelligence. He explains the evolution of human neuroanatomy and the historical progression of astronomical tools, connecting the physical components of the brain to our capacity for cosmic observation.
Science enthusiasts and skeptics read this book to understand the methodology of critical thinking and peer review. It serves as a manual for distinguishing physical laws from speculative mythology. Readers gain a technical perspective on how planetary exploration works and why certain fringe theories fail under rigorous scrutiny. The text leaves the reader with a clearer grasp of the scientific method and a factual summary of 20th-century accomplishments in space exploration and evolutionary biology.
Outward-looking; a moderate read.
Best for readers like The Evidence Seeker. Which reader are you?
- Published
- 1979
- Language
- EN
Quotes by Carl Sagan
More →For small creatures such as we, the vastness is bearable only through love.
Contact
Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.
The cosmos is within us. We are made of star-stuff. We are a way for the universe to know itself.
Cosmos
