

The Sagan Series: A Pale Blue Dot - Indyan
http://saganseries.com/

======
jaysonelliot
A very few people leave an impression so great that the lives they change go
on to change the world.

Carl Sagan is one of those people.

The young people he inspired to choose careers in science, or just to have a
love of science that makes our society stronger, are innumerable.

I hope that kids growing up today have role models as amazing as Dr. Sagan.

~~~
mkr-hn
Neil deGrasse Tyson

~~~
burke
Don't get me wrong, Neil deGrasse Tyson is a brilliant guy, and he's doing
more for science education than almost anyone else alive today, but Sagan had
a real talent for being profoundly inspiring on a deeper level.

~~~
bane
_but Sagan had a real talent for being profoundly inspiring on a deeper level_

There's still time left! Tyson has offered up some of the most philosophically
profound notions I've probably heard since Sagan.

<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w-uZZ7RdL5E>

He has an amazing talent to boil down complex science into engaging
communications that regular 'ol folks like myself can understand, yet still
rich enough as to make me think about the topic for a terribly long time
afterwards.

------
hoag
I was in high school when I got the news that he had died. Having grown up
treasuring a hardback copy of Cosmos that my parents had got for me when I was
5 or so (still on my bookshelf today of course), I had fallen immediately in
love with the phenomenal PBS series of the book and looked up to Carl Sagan as
someone very special indeed. It was no wonder that my parents helped me to
become a member of Carl Sagan's Planetary Society back in grade school, a
membership I held all through high school.

In utter shock and disbelief when I received his news, I remember I had been
walking to our school's computer lab. By the time I reached it, my brain was
numb and I just sort of walked aimlessly to a computer along the south wall.
As I approached the desk, I told our lab teacher what I had just learned, sat
down, put my head in my hands, and cried.

Looking back on it now, I'm still not entirely sure why news of his death had
so profound an effect on me, but I suspect it had something to do with Carl
Sagan's "real talent for being profoundly inspiring on a deeper level," as
burke so eloquently pointed out.

EDIT: Just finished watching the three videos. Absolutely blown away. And no,
it's not really a mystery why he had so profound an effect on so many: between
the eloquence of his words and his hypnotic speech and diction, who couldn't
help but we swept away by his lessons? Only he could render in such convincing
detail "the view that Kepler dreamed of," (if you have a copy of Cosmos lying
around, you'll recognize that particular caption's stunning photo), and so
much more in the universe beyond.

------
dustmop
If you like this, I would highly recommend the "Carl Sagan Tribute Series" by
callumCGLP: <http://www.youtube.com/user/callumCGLP#p/c/0/pxlPVSAnWOo>

It similarly uses quotes from Sagan's audiobooks, but combines it with the
Lost soundtrack (which fits surprisingly well), and footage from Discovery and
the BBC. Really great stuff!

------
hartror
Perspective: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p86BPM1GV8M>

The most important section of Sagan's book I believe. Put it on when you have
had a bad day or are struggling with a task.

I cannot count the number of times I have posted this on HN!

------
szany
Everyone needs to see this.

I have at least a dozen times already and it's always as inspiring as the
last.

------
karolisd
His book "The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark" is a must
read. It's the best advocate for critical thinking.

------
eliben
Nice project.

I was lucky to have come across Carl Sagan and his books in my early 20s. The
amount of positive inspiration this has provided me couldn't have originated
anywhere else. He's definitely one of the writers who influenced my world-
views the most.

------
mrleinad
Contact is my favourite book.. cancellation of the SETI project is like a part
of that book turning to dust.. fantasy.. sad, really

~~~
pjscott
SETI only went into hibernation a few days ago, and I wouldn't bet against
them getting the money they need to get back up and running again soon. And
even if they're not operating for a little while, the technology continues to
advance. Don't be dispirited!

------
mrleinad
Awesome site. Thanks a lot.

Although it helps, I think Carl Sagan is still turning in his grave because of
the cancellation of the SETI project..

------
jabits
Awesome. What an amazing, inspiring human being.

------
eneveu
These videos were edited by rgower, a redditor, in an attempt to reinvent
Nasa's marketing : <http://www.reddit.com/r/videos/comments/ez5xe>

I just love the first video. It is really inspiring, and I re-watch it often.

I also like this version: <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djnGjm-BfdI> .
Sunshine's OST, Adagio In D Minor (
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQXVzg2PiZw> ), goes really well with the
message. Of course, some might say that this song could make any video
"epic"... They used a remixed version of it in Kick-Ass:
<http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-dQMunLEXHA> (warning: SPOILER!).

