Science is a way to not fool ourselves.
Carl SaganRead
After the earth dies, some 5 billion years from now, after it's burned to a crisp, or even swallowed by the Sun, there will be other worlds and stars and galaxies coming into being - and they will know nothing of a place once called Earth.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote reflects on the impermanence of Earth and the vast continuum of the universe.
Carl Sagan's quote urges us to contemplate the transient nature of our planet within the immense timeline of the universe. It suggests that even as Earth reaches its end, new worlds and galaxies will emerge, highlighting both the fragility of our existence and the boundless cycle of creation in the cosmos, ultimately reminding us that our time here is fleeting and that the universe will continue on regardless of our presence.
Themes
EarthUniverseImpermanenceCreationCosmos
In practice
Example use cases
During a lecture on astronomy, this quote can highlight the vastness of time and space.
More from Carl Sagan
All quotes →In more than one respect, the exploring of the Solar System and homesteading other worlds constitutes the beginning, much more than the end, of history.
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How smart does a chimpanzee have to be before killing him constitutes murder?
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The hole in the ozone layer is a kind of skywriting. At first it seemed to spell out our continuing complacency before a witch's brew of deadly perils. But perhaps it really tells of a newfound talent to work together to protect the global environment.
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There is a reward structure in science that is very interesting: Our highest honors go to those who disprove the findings of the most revered among us. So Einstein is revered not just because he made so many fundamental contributions to science, but because he found an imperfection in the fundamental contribution of Isaac Newton.
Carl SaganRead
The simplest thought, like the concept of the number one, has an elaborate logical underpinning.
Carl SaganRead
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