Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996

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Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on extraterrestrial life, including experimental demonstration of the production of amino acids from basic chemicals by radiation. Sagan assembled the first physical messages sent into space: the Pioneer plaque and the Voyager Golden Record, universal messages that could potentially be understood by any extraterrestrial intelligence that might find them. Sagan argued the now-accepted hypothesis that the high surface temperatures of Venus can be attributed to and calculated using the greenhouse effect.

Initially an associate professor at Harvard and later at Cornell, from 1976 to his death, he was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences at the latter. Sagan published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books. He wrote many popular science books and narrated and co-wrote the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage.

Sagan advocated scientific skeptical inquiry and the scientific method, pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI). He spent most of his career as a professor of astronomy at Cornell University, where he directed the Laboratory for Planetary Studies. Sagan and his works received numerous awards and honors, including the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal, the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction for his book The Dragons of Eden, and, regarding Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, two Emmy Awards, the Peabody Award, and the Hugo Award. He married three times and had five children. After suffering from myelodysplasia, Sagan died of pneumonia at the age of 62, on December 20, 1996.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996. Is there life on Earth? : article in Engineering and Science (E&S) 1972 Feb. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Kistiakowsky, George B. (George Bogdan), 1900-1982. Confessions of a weaponeer : video tape, 1987. Stanford University, Hoover Institution Library
referencedIn Edward Purdy Ney Papers, 1941-1996 University of Minnesota Libraries. University Archives [uarc]
creatorOf Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). Office of the Director. Office of the Director Collection, 1959-1982. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Lifton, Zachary Robinson. From Egyptian tomb to postmodern temple: An examination of the architecture of interaction and effect of view at 900 Stewart Avenue, Ithaca, New York, 2010. Cornell University Library
creatorOf Albee, Arden L. The Bruce C. Murray and Charles H. Terhune, Jr. Director's Office Papers Collection, 1971-1979. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. William H. Pickering Office File Collection, 1955-1976. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Davidson, Keay,. A Request from a Reporter, e-mail to John Bluth, 1998 May 19. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
creatorOf American Movement for World Government. American Movement for World Government records, ca. 1953-1987. New York Public Library System, NYPL
creatorOf Orgel, Leslie E. Papers, 1960-1991. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Andreĭ Sakharov papers, 1852-2002 (inclusive), 1960-1990 (bulk). Houghton Library
creatorOf American Astronomical Society. Meeting. (1974: Rochester, N.Y.). Recollections prepared for the 75th anniversary of the American Astronomical Society [sound recording] / 1974. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn King, Ivan R. Oral history interview with Ivan Robert King, 1977 July 18 and 20 July 1978. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn D. Carleton Gajdusek Correspondence, 1920-1996 History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine
referencedIn Gajdusek, D. Carleton (Daniel Carleton), 1923-2008. D. Carleton Gajdusek correspondence, 1920-1996. National Library of Medicine
creatorOf American Astronomical Society. Meeting. (1974: Rochester, N.Y.). Invited papers regarding the 75th anniversary of the American Astronomical Society [sound recording] / 1974 August 22. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Suess, Hans Eduard, 1909-. Papers, 1875-1989. University of California, San Diego, UC San Diego Library; UCSD Library
referencedIn Personal Papers of Theodore Sturgeon, 1930-1987 University of Kansas Kenneth Spencer Research Library Department of Special Collections
creatorOf Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996,. Six Articles by Carl Sagan, 1976. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Leslie Orgel Papers, 1960 - 1991 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
referencedIn Papers, 1906-2005 Arthur and Elizabeth Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America‏
referencedIn Papers concerning UFOs, 1952-1976, 1952-1976 American Philosophical Society
creatorOf Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996. Mariner Mars flyby distance : correspondence etween Seamans, Sagan and Newell, 1961 Oct 23-Dec 12. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn New Yorker records New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Guide to the Daily Worker and Daily World Photographs Collection, 1920-2001 Tamiment Library and Robert F. Wagner Labor Archives
referencedIn Adel, Arthur, 1908-1994. Oral history interview with Arthur Adel, 1987 August 13. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Robert B. Livingston Papers, 1935 - 1990 University of California, San Diego. Geisel Library. Mandeville Special Collections Library.
creatorOf Muller, H. J. (Hermann Joseph), 1890-1967. Papers, 1910-1967. Indiana University
creatorOf The Seth MacFarlane Collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive, 1860-2004, (bulk 1962-1997) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000. Robert R. Wilson papers, 1936-2000. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Velikovsky, Immanuel, 1895-. Immanuel Velikovsky papers, 1920-1996 (bulk 1930-1979) Princeton University Library
referencedIn Menzel, Donald H. (Donald Howard), 1901-1976. Papers concerning UFOs, 1952-1976. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn Sturgeon, Theodore. [Personal papers of Theodore Sturgeon] University of Kansas Archives / MSS / Rare Books, Kenneth Spencer Research Library
referencedIn Robert R. Wilson papers, 1936-2000. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
creatorOf Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996. The Radiation Balance of Venus. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Cornell University. Public Affairs Education Program. Alumni University lectures, 1968-1981. Cornell University Library
referencedIn Gold, Thomas. Oral history interview with Thomas Gold, 1978 April 1. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Adel, Arthur, 1908-1994. Correspondence concerning controversy over who discovered the 20-micron atmospheric window in the earth's atmosphere, 1975. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
creatorOf Murray, Bruce C., 1931-. Bruce C. Murray Chronological File Collection, 1976-1982. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Confessions of a weaponeer : video tape, 1987 Hoover Institution Archives
referencedIn American Movement for World Government records, ca. 1953-1987 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
referencedIn Herbert Friedman Papers, 1940-2000 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn New York Times Company records. A.M. Rosenthal papers, 1955-1994, 1967-1986 New York Public Library. Manuscripts and Archives Division
creatorOf Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). Office of Engineering and Mission Assurance. Voyager Interstellar Record Collection, 1976-1977. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Hansen, James R. Oral history interview with James Hansen, 2000 October 23 and November 27. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Philip J. Klass Collection, 1948-2000 American Philosophical Society
referencedIn Joshua Lederberg Papers, 1904-2008 History of Medicine Division. National Library of Medicine
referencedIn Leslie A. White Papers, 1921-1974 Bentley Historical Library
referencedIn Bluth, John F., 1944-2004. Carl Sagan Material at JPL Archives, 1999 Mar. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Davidson, Keay. Carl Sagan's Coming of Age, 1999 Nov. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn Harvard Law School Forums Records Harvard Law School Library Langdell Hall Cambridge, MA 02138
creatorOf Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996,. The Solar System [serial], 1975 Sep. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
referencedIn William B. Provine collection of evolutionary biology reprints, 20th century. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
referencedIn Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory. Fusion: past, present, and future [videorecording]. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Bart Bok collection, 1928-1983. University of Arizona Libraries
referencedIn Gould, Stephen Jay. Stephen Jay Gould papers, 1899-2004 (inclusive), 1941-2002 (bulk). Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
referencedIn Papers of George Wald, 1927-1996 Harvard University Archives.
creatorOf Sagan, Carl, 1934-1996. Oral history interview with Carl Sagan, 1991 August 27. American Institute of Physics, Niels Bohr Library
referencedIn Claude Elwood Shannon Papers, 1932-1995, (bulk 1938-1989) Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
referencedIn Ney, Edward Purdy, 1920-. Edward Purdy Ney Papers, 1941-1996. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis
referencedIn Stephen Jay Gould papers, 1899-2004, 1941-2002 Stanford University. Department of Special Collections and University Archives
creatorOf Renzetti, Nicholas A., 1914-1998. [Four memoranda regarding the Deep Space Network], 1967-1989. Jet Propulsion Laboratory Library and Archives
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correspondedWith Abell, George O. (George Ogden), 1927-1983 person
correspondedWith Ackerman, Diane, 1948- person
associatedWith Adel, Arthur, 1908-1994. person
correspondedWith Agel, Jerome person
associatedWith American Association for the Advancement of Science. corporateBody
associatedWith American Astronomical Society. corporateBody
associatedWith American Astronomical Society. Meeting. (1974: Rochester, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith American Astronomical Society. Meeting. (1974: Rochester, N.Y.) corporateBody
associatedWith American Geophysical Union. corporateBody
associatedWith American Movement for World Government. corporateBody
correspondedWith Asimov, Isaac, 1920-1992 person
associatedWith Carl Sagan Productions. corporateBody
correspondedWith Chyba, Christopher F. person
correspondedWith Clarke, Arthur C. (Arthur Charles), 1917-2008 person
associatedWith Communist Party of the United States of America. corporateBody
associatedWith Conference on the Long-Term Worldwide Biological Consequences of Nuclear War (1983 : Cambridge, Mass.) corporateBody
employeeOf Cornell University. corporateBody
associatedWith Cornell University. Center for Radiophysics and Space Research. corporateBody
associatedWith Cornell University. Laboratory for Planetary Studies. corporateBody
associatedWith Cornell University. Public Affairs Education Program. corporateBody
associatedWith Davidson, Keay. person
associatedWith Doel, Ronald Edmund, person
correspondedWith Dorrit Hoffleit person
correspondedWith Drake, Frank D. person
associatedWith Druyan, Ann, 1949- Seth MacFarlane collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan archive. 1860-2004 person
correspondedWith Ferris, Timothy person
correspondedWith Friedman, Herbert, 1916-2000 person
correspondedWith Friedman, Louis person
associatedWith Gajdusek, D. Carleton (Daniel Carleton), 1923-2008. person
associatedWith Galileo Project. corporateBody
associatedWith GCA Corporation. corporateBody
associatedWith Gold, Thomas. person
correspondedWith Gore, Albert, 1948- person
associatedWith Gould, Stephen Jay. person
correspondedWith Grinspoon, David Harry person
correspondedWith Grinspoon, Lester, 1928- person
correspondedWith Haines-Stiles, Geoffrey person
associatedWith Hansen, James R. person
associatedWith Hart, Gary, 1936- person
associatedWith Harvard College Observatory. corporateBody
correspondedWith Harvard Law School Forum corporateBody
employeeOf Harvard University corporateBody
associatedWith International Society for the Study of the Origin of Life. corporateBody
associatedWith Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). Office of Engineering and Mission Assurance. corporateBody
associatedWith Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). Office of the Director. corporateBody
correspondedWith Khare, Bishun N. (Bishun Narain), 1933-2013 person
associatedWith King, Ivan R. person
associatedWith Klass, Philip J. person
associatedWith Kuiper, Gerard P. (Gerard Peter), 1905-1973. person
correspondedWith Lederberg, Joshua person
correspondedWith Lee, Gentry person
associatedWith Lifton, Zachary Robinson. person
correspondedWith Livingston, Robert Burr, 1918- person
correspondedWith Lomberg, Jon, 1948- person
associatedWith MacFarlane, Seth, 1973- Seth MacFarlane collection of the Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan archive. 1860-2004 person
correspondedWith Malone, Adrian person
correspondedWith Marov, Mikhail I︠A︡kovlevich person
associatedWith Menzel, Donald H. (Donald Howard), 1901-1976. person
associatedWith Mondale, Walter F., 1928- person
correspondedWith Morrison, David, 1940- person
associatedWith Muller, H. J. (Hermann Joseph), 1890-1967. person
associatedWith Murray, Bruce C., 1931- person
correspondedWith Mutch, Thomas A., 1931- person
associatedWith Newell, Homer E. Jr. 1915-1983. person
correspondedWith New Yorker Magazine, Inc corporateBody
associatedWith Ney, Edward Purdy, 1920- person
associatedWith Ney, Edward Purdy, 1920- person
correspondedWith Obst, Lynda Rosen person
associatedWith Orgel, Leslie E. person
correspondedWith Orgel, Leslie E. person
associatedWith Pickering, William H., 1910-2004. person
associatedWith Planetary Society. corporateBody
correspondedWith Pollack, James B. person
associatedWith Princeton University. Plasma Physics Laboratory. corporateBody
associatedWith Project Apollo (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Project Mariner (U.S.) corporateBody
correspondedWith Provine, William B. person
associatedWith Renzetti, Nicholas A., 1914-1998. person
associatedWith Robert R. Wilson 1914- person
associatedWith Rosenthal, A. M. (Abraham Michael), 1922-2006 person
correspondedWith Sagdeev, R. Z. (Renad Zinnurovich), 1941- person
correspondedWith Sakharov, Andreĭ, 1921-1989 person
associatedWith Seamans, Robert C., Jr., 1918- person
correspondedWith Shannon, Claude Elwood, 1916-2001. person
employeeOf Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. corporateBody
correspondedWith Soter, Steven person
correspondedWith Squyres, Steven W. person
associatedWith Sturgeon, Theodore. person
associatedWith Suess, Hans Eduard, 1909- person
correspondedWith Teller, Edward, 1908-2003 person
correspondedWith Terzian, Yervant, 1939- person
correspondedWith Thompson, W. Reid (William Reid), 1952- person
correspondedWith Toon, O. B. person
correspondedWith Turco, Richard P., 1943- person
correspondedWith Tyson, Neil deGrasse person
associatedWith United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration. corporateBody
associatedWith University of California, Berkeley. corporateBody
associatedWith University of Chicago. corporateBody
associatedWith Urey, Harold Clayton, 1893-1981. person
correspondedWith Velikovsky, Immanuel, 1895- person
correspondedWith Veverka, Joseph person
associatedWith Viking Mars Program (U.S.) corporateBody
associatedWith Voyager Project. corporateBody
correspondedWith Wald, George. person
associatedWith White, Leslie A., 1900-1975 person
associatedWith Wilson, Robert R., 1914-2000. person
correspondedWith Wirth, Timothy E. person
associatedWith Wynner, Edith person
associatedWith Yerkes Observatory. corporateBody
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Birth 1934-11-09

Death 1996-12-20

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