Carl Sagan Christmas Lectures 3 - The History of Mars

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Published 2022-04-12
Cold, arid, and tens of millions of miles away from Earth, Mars has intrigued scientists for centuries. The existence of liquid on its surface was confirmed by NASA’s flyby mission, Mariner 4, in 1965, but the question of whether life exists on our neighbouring planet has remained a subject of much speculation.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, observers using only the naked eye and a telescope saw features on Mars which they interpreted as evidence for a dry but Earth-like climate, for vegetation which grew and decayed with the seasons, and for a great Martian canal network designed by a heroic but dying race of hydraulic engineers.

In the third of his CHRISTMAS LECTURES, Carl Sagan explores the mystery of the Red Planet. From its rocky craters to its polar ice caps, Carl describes our understanding of the geology and chemistry of Mars, revealing the discovery of its two moons, Phobos and Deimos, in 1877, and the bizarre one-time suggestion that these moons were artificial satellites launched by an ancient but not extinct Martian civilisation.

Source: www.rigb.org/explore-science/explore/video/planets…

About the 1977 CHRISTMAS LECTURES
What exists beyond Earth? Over six Lectures presented in 1977, American astronomer and cosmologist Carl Sagan explores the vast expanse of space that surrounds the third planet from the Sun.

Life on Earth
Where at first we could only discern the size of our planet and some knowledge of its atmosphere and configuration, the evolution of planetary exploration has revealed not only intricate details of Earth’s climate and geology, but a multitude of stars and planets besides our own.

Beginning with a closer look at the world we inhabit, Carl explores of the diversity of life on our own planet and the building blocks behind it, before questioning whether the same organic chemistry is occurring on planets in the outer solar system.

The Red Planet
In Lecture three onwards, Carl takes a closer look at our neighbouring planet, Mars. From early interpretations of terrestrial life on its surface to the surprising discoveries made by NASA’s Viking Program, the Red Planet has become the focus of efforts to discern whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe.

When Carl delivered his Lectures in the late 1970s, NASA had only just begun its Voyager program to the furthest planets in our solar system and no extra-solar planets were known to exist. Now, over three decades later, astronomers are looking at planets that lie beyond our solar system to ask the very same question we pondered over Mars: is there life out there?
All Comments (21)
  • @Supergravity
    There hasn't been another Sagan since we lost him. We miss you Carl.
  • @london19657
    I was 15 in 1977 and never missed these lectures from the Royal Institute in London. They were meant for children but Sagan never spoke as if he were talking to children. He 'came over' like an enthusiastic teacher, who was keen to share his knowledge, because he knew it was interesting. I was hooked, even back then. My Dad got me a small telescope(70mm) and it opened a new world. ( I got myself a Meade lx200 25 years ago and it still works well). The series Cosmos was amazing in 1980, with it's novel graphics for the time. I have the hardback book right here. He was inspirational, charismatic and unique. I'm sure billions and billions agree. Thanks for posting the video, it takes me back.
  • @frankf1095
    Despite having very little visual aid, Carl knew how to tell a story better than most lecturers these days.
  • @leokimvideo
    Those children at the time didn't know they had the best teacher ever lecturing them. No one since has come close to Carl Sagan's ability to explain complicated subjects in a manner that everyone could understand and enjoy.
  • @hittrewweuy7595
    Carl Sagan is amazing , I am so upset that we can’t watch full episodes of Carl Sagan’s cosmos anywhere nor buy the digital version , is like they don’t want us to watch his shows anymore
  • @sandeepattawar5046
    Sagan could not have been of this planet . He has changed my life and perspective with his philosophy and humility .
  • @Ironside451
    I wish we could remaster these somehow and make the slides and examples clearer
  • @reddevil9554
    Irreplaceable. There will never be anyone like him again. We were robbed. This genius was taken far too young.
  • @bubbag3176
    I would love to hear Carl Sagan’s lecture with the evidence provided by the James Webb
  • @No_OneV
    I love that Sagan used many practical models so everybody could understand what hes talking about.
  • @JakePurches-Base2music
    I remember this lecture and the surface views have astonishingly changed in just 20 odd years after this talk.
  • @mutinyonthekitkat
    I recorded this from the tv on an audiocassette tape as a kid. Still have it.
  • @NorthernChev
    As a kid in the late Sixties and early Seventies I remember vividly, us not knowing what the surface of Mars looked like, and thinking it could "possibly" have canals. Even though we were pretty sure it did not. Heh.