Not everyone from my generation knows Carl Sagan. He passed away when we were in elementary school and I am not sure how much exposure the Asian media gave him.
In short, Sagan was an astronomer and a populariser of science. He inspired a generation of both children and adults to look at the universe with awe and reverence. He has written several books but I still think his best works are where he talks in scenic locations =).
I highly recommend you take a look at the following videos these are the ones which impacted me the most.
This is based on a picture by Voyager 1 of the Earth. It reminds of of our place in the universe.
This is a song remix combining several clips and famous quotes of Sagan. This particular idea in the clip intrigued me. To create an apple pie from scratch, you need to invent the entire universe.
In Sagan's book, The Demon Haunted World : Science as a Candle in the Dark, he elucidates the concept of a "Baloney Detection Kit", a sort of test to decide whether an unusual claim might be true or not. Micheal Shermer explains it clearly in this clip.
This post is also dedicated to my darling sister! Happy Birthday! I miss you and hope you're having a blast. Thanks for all the inspiration and support!
