Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
1 appearances
-
Edition 19 (1978) Winner
Carl Sagan
カール・セーガン
Kāru Sēgan
Pen Names:
Mr. X（Pseudonym used for an essay on cannabis）
Profile
- Gender
- Male
- Born
- 1934-11-09 （Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.）
- Died
- 1996-12-20 （Seattle, Washington, U.S. (Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center)） age 62
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Reform Judaism (family background)
- Residence History
- Bensonhurst, New York City → Rahway, New Jersey → Ithaca, New York → Seattle, Washington
Career
- Occupations
- Astronomer, Planetary scientist, Science communicator, Author, Screenwriter
- Active Years
- 1954-1996
- Affiliations
- Harvard University (Assistant Professor), Cornell University (Professor), The Planetary Society (co-founder), SETI Institute (Board member)
- Memberships
- American Philosophical Society, Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI)
- Influenced By
- Harold Urey, Gerard Kuiper, George Gamow
- Influenced
- Neil deGrasse Tyson, Ann Druyan, Numerous science communicators and popular science authors
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Chicago | — | Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics | Bachelor of Liberal Arts (honors) | 1950–1954 | United States |
| University of Chicago | — | Physics | Bachelor of Science (Physics) | 1954–1955 | United States |
| University of Chicago | — | Physics | Master of Science | 1955–1956 | United States |
| University of Chicago | — | Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics | PhD | 1956–1960 | United States |
University of Chicago
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Degree:
Bachelor of Liberal Arts (honors)
Period:
1950–1954
Year of Graduation:
1954
Country:
United States
Undergraduate (honors) program
University of Chicago
Physics
Degree:
Bachelor of Science (Physics)
Period:
1954–1955
Year of Graduation:
1955
Country:
United States
Bachelor of Science in Physics
University of Chicago
Physics
Degree:
Master of Science
Period:
1955–1956
Year of Graduation:
1956
Country:
United States
Completed graduate MS work
University of Chicago
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics
Degree:
PhD
Period:
1956–1960
Year of Graduation:
1960
Country:
United States
Doctoral thesis 'Physical Studies of the Planets'
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Klumpke-Roberts Award | — | — | Astronomical Society of the Pacific | 受賞 |
| 1977 | NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal | — | — | National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) | 受賞 |
| 1978 | Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction | The Dragons of Eden | — | Pulitzer Prize Board | 受賞 |
| 1981 | Emmy Award | Cosmos: A Personal Voyage | Outstanding Informational Series | Academy of Television Arts & Sciences | 受賞 |
| 1990 | Oersted Medal | — | — | American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT) | 受賞 |
| 1993 | Carl Sagan Award for Public Understanding of Science | — | — | Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP) | 受賞（初代受賞者） |
| 1994 | Public Welfare Medal | — | — | National Academy of Sciences | 受賞 |
| 1986 | Locus Award | Contact | Best Science Fiction Novel | Locus | 受賞 |
| 1981 | Hugo Award | Cosmos (TV series) and Cosmos (book) | Best Dramatic Presentation / Best Related Non-Fiction Work | World Science Fiction Society | 受賞 |
Klumpke-Roberts Award
1974
Organization:
Astronomical Society of the Pacific
Result:
受賞
NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal
1977
Organization:
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
Result:
受賞
Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
1978
Work:
The Dragons of Eden
Organization:
Pulitzer Prize Board
Result:
受賞
Emmy Award
1981
Work:
Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
Category:
Outstanding Informational Series
Organization:
Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Result:
受賞
Oersted Medal
1990
Organization:
American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT)
Result:
受賞
Carl Sagan Award for Public Understanding of Science
1993
Organization:
Council of Scientific Society Presidents (CSSP)
Result:
受賞（初代受賞者）
Public Welfare Medal
1994
Organization:
National Academy of Sciences
Result:
受賞
Locus Award
1986
Work:
Contact
Category:
Best Science Fiction Novel
Organization:
Locus
Result:
受賞
Hugo Award
1981
Work:
Cosmos (TV series) and Cosmos (book)
Category:
Best Dramatic Presentation / Best Related Non-Fiction Work
Organization:
World Science Fiction Society
Result:
受賞
Awards & Nominations
Los Angeles Times Book Prize
1 appearances
-
Edition 17 (1996) Winner
Works
Major Works
Cosmos
1980 Popular scienceA widely read popular-science book accompanying the TV series 'Cosmos', presenting the history of the universe, science, and humanity's place in the cosmos.
Scale of the universeScientific skepticismPublic understanding of science
Adaptations
- [Television series] Cosmos: A Personal Voyage (1980)
The Dragons of Eden
1977 Popular science (evolution of human intelligence)A popular-science exploration of the origins and evolution of human intelligence; winner of the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction.
Evolution of intelligenceCognitive scienceHuman origins
Contact
1985 Science fictionA novel about contact with extraterrestrial intelligence, based on a 1979 film treatment; adapted into a 1997 feature film.
First contactDialogue between faith and scienceEthics of space exploration
Adaptations
- [Film] Contact / Robert Zemeckis (1997)
Pale Blue Dot
1994 Popular science / space explorationEssays inspired by the Voyager 1 photograph of Earth, reflecting on humanity's place in the universe and the future of space exploration.
Human perspectiveSpace explorationEthics and the future
The Demon-Haunted World
1995 Popular science / skepticismAdvocates scientific thinking and skepticism, offering tools (the 'baloney detection kit') to detect fallacies and pseudoscience.
SkepticismScience educationCountering pseudoscience
Bibliography
- The Cosmic Connection
- Planets
- The Dragons of Eden
- Broca's Brain
- Cosmos
- Contact
- Pale Blue Dot
- The Demon-Haunted World
Adaptations
- TV series 'Cosmos: A Personal Voyage' (1980)
- Film 'Contact' (1997)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Accessible, conversational proseUses metaphor and narrative to explain scienceEloquent and occasionally lyrical essays
- Recurring Motifs
- The grandeur of the cosmos and human humilityThe scientific method and skepticismEarth's fragility and responsibility for the future
Health
-
Myelodysplastic syndrome1994–1996Underwent treatments including bone marrow transplants; ultimately died of pneumonia following complications. Affected his activities in later years.
Legacy
Carl Sagan was an enormously influential science communicator whose television series 'Cosmos' and numerous books popularized science and skepticism worldwide. He also made substantive contributions to planetary science and SETI; many awards and sites now commemorate his name.
Museums
- Sagan Planet Walk Ithaca, New York Opened in 1997
- Carl Sagan Memorial Station Mars (Mars Pathfinder landing site) Opened in 1997
Academic Societies
- Committee for Skeptical Inquiry
- American Philosophical Society
- American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
Archives
- Library of Congress (The Carl Sagan and Ann Druyan Archive)
In Popular Culture
- Film 'Contact' (1997)
- Symphony of Science sampling of Cosmos audio
- Popularization of the Voyager 'Pale Blue Dot' photograph and its quote
Quotes
-
Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.
Source: Cosmos and various lectures/writings (1980) -
On that dot are all of the people you know... it is a mote of dust suspended in a sunbeam.
Source: Pale Blue Dot (1994)
Trivia
- Published an essay under the pseudonym 'Mr. X' about cannabis.
- The TV series 'Cosmos' was viewed by an estimated 500 million people across 60 countries.
- Apple once used 'Carl Sagan' as an internal codename for the Power Macintosh 7100 (later changed).