Product Description Astronomer Carl Sagan's landmark 13-part science series takes you on an awe-inspiring cosmic journey to the edge of the Universe and back aboard the spaceship of the imagination. Topics covered include: the 15-billion year history of the Universe; the evolution of life on Earth and what forms life might take on other worlds; Johannes Kepler, the first modern astronomer; the hellish atmosphere of Venus and the threat of the Greenhouse Effect on Earth; the search for life on Mars; the 17th century exploration of the Earth; the Voyager missions to Jupiter and Saturn; the possibility of time travel; Einstein's theories; the life cycle of stars; determining the origin of the Universe; the brain and the evolution of intelligence; how we might communicate with alien civilizations; the continued survival of the human race versus the threat of nuclear destruction. desertcart.com When Cosmos was first broadcast in 1980, our world--and the context of Carl Sagan's eloquent "personal journey"--was a different place. The late Dr. Sagan would be pleased to witness the cooling of the Cold War, the continued exploration of space, and ongoing efforts to curb our destructive dependence on fossil fuels. For Sagan's series is far more than a guided tour through "billions and billions" of stars and galaxies. It remains a profound plea for the unity of humankind, for the recognition that "we are a way for the universe to know itself," with an obligation to know our origin, our place in the universe, and our future potential. In the course of 13 fascinating hours, Cosmos spans its own galaxy of topics to serve Sagan's theme, each segment deepening our understanding of how we got from there (simple microbes in the primordial mud) to here (space-faring civilization in the 21st century). In his "ship of the imagination," Sagan guides us to the farthest reaches of space and takes us back into the history of scientific inquiry, from the ancient library of Alexandria to the NASA probes of our neighboring planets. Upon this vast canvas Sagan presents the "cosmic calendar," placing the 15-billion-year history of the universe into an accessible one-year framework, then filling it with a stunning chronology of events, both interstellar and earthbound.From the lives of the stars to creation theories, functions of the human brain, and the ongoing search for extraterrestrial intelligence, Cosmos asks big questions. When appropriate, Sagan offers big answers, or asks still bigger--and yes, even spiritual--questions at the boundaries of science and religion. What's most remarkable about Cosmos is that it remains almost entirely fresh, with few updates needed to the science that Sagan so passionately celebrates. It is no exaggeration to say that Cosmos--for all the debate it may continue to provoke--is a vital document for humanity at a pivotal crossroads of our history. --Jeff Shannon Review: Legendary! - Such a great tv show and a must for any one whom loves astronomy or astrophysics, or science in general. Sagan is masterful in his presentation and delivers such great and memorable dialogs. We speak for Earth are obligations to survive and flourish we owe to not only ourselves but to the vast cosmos from which we came . Review: Omnipresently Wonderful - Who speaks for Earth? Where did life originate from? Where is the human civilization going? What is out there waiting to be discovered? This series sets out to answer these questions as truthfully and as eloquently as it can. Carl Sagan was one of the most brilliant men to have existed in his time and still influences us today. The series puts the known facts of the universe so simply that even a child could understand them. The episodes within this series are inspiring and utterly beautiful. The majority of the information held within this DVD set is still true today, and regardless of whether or not you already know this information, it is still truly something inspiring and charismatic to watch and to have. The series is filled with history, philosophy, imagination, and an absolute respect for the facts, it is a series that challenges any documentary series today and has enhanced my life. I have long been aspiring to go into the professional field of science, specifically in biology, and this series has further pushed my desires to accomplish my goals. We all inhabit this pathetic little speck of a planet in our small corner of the galaxy, which resides among billions more; the fact that we know so much about it and can even summarize a variety of it into 7 DVDs is remarkable. "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself", this phrase continues to inspire me, along with several other Sagan quotes, something that every person should experience, simply because it is our birthright to know everything there is to know of the universe and beyond. This series is something I will forever treasure and share with posterity in the hopes that it will educate, entertain, and inspire them as it has for myself and several others.
| ASIN | B000055ZOB |
| Actors | Carl Sagan, Jaromr Hanzlk, Jonathan Fahn, Robert H. Goddard |
| Aspect Ratio | 1.33:1 |
| Best Sellers Rank | #2,483 in Movies & TV ( See Top 100 in Movies & TV ) #1,027 in DVD |
| Customer Reviews | 4.8 4.8 out of 5 stars (1,166) |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item model number | COSDV1010 |
| Language | English (Dolby Digital 5.1), Unqualified |
| MPAA rating | NR (Not Rated) |
| Media Format | Box set, Collector's Edition, Color, Full Screen, Multiple Formats, NTSC |
| Number of discs | 1 |
| Product Dimensions | 0.7 x 7.5 x 5.4 inches; 9.6 ounces |
| Release date | October 22, 2002 |
| Run time | 13 hours |
| Studio | UNKNO |
| Subtitles: | English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Spanish |
P**I
Legendary!
Such a great tv show and a must for any one whom loves astronomy or astrophysics, or science in general. Sagan is masterful in his presentation and delivers such great and memorable dialogs. We speak for Earth are obligations to survive and flourish we owe to not only ourselves but to the vast cosmos from which we came .
J**Y
Omnipresently Wonderful
Who speaks for Earth? Where did life originate from? Where is the human civilization going? What is out there waiting to be discovered? This series sets out to answer these questions as truthfully and as eloquently as it can. Carl Sagan was one of the most brilliant men to have existed in his time and still influences us today. The series puts the known facts of the universe so simply that even a child could understand them. The episodes within this series are inspiring and utterly beautiful. The majority of the information held within this DVD set is still true today, and regardless of whether or not you already know this information, it is still truly something inspiring and charismatic to watch and to have. The series is filled with history, philosophy, imagination, and an absolute respect for the facts, it is a series that challenges any documentary series today and has enhanced my life. I have long been aspiring to go into the professional field of science, specifically in biology, and this series has further pushed my desires to accomplish my goals. We all inhabit this pathetic little speck of a planet in our small corner of the galaxy, which resides among billions more; the fact that we know so much about it and can even summarize a variety of it into 7 DVDs is remarkable. "We are a way for the cosmos to know itself", this phrase continues to inspire me, along with several other Sagan quotes, something that every person should experience, simply because it is our birthright to know everything there is to know of the universe and beyond. This series is something I will forever treasure and share with posterity in the hopes that it will educate, entertain, and inspire them as it has for myself and several others.
C**R
A series that gives us hope...
Yep, it's a DVD set, and yes it's November 2025 as I write this. Is it worth the purchase price... my goodness yes! Carl Sagan is so impressive, video quality doesn't matter to me, the knowlege and passion over 13 one hour episodes is simply staggering. I am so satisfied with my purchase. It is one of those series you will revisit every couple years, 98% of the facts are still spot on today... science is science, the cosmos is the cosmos. Dare I say, a series that gives us hope. Outstanding.
M**R
What Can I Add?
After all the years of Cosmos, there isn't much to add. The series is grand and one of my favorites. But I want to focus on the parts of the ancient Greeks. Every time I watch the series, I am amazed at some of the ancient Greeks who should be better-known today. "The Backbone of Night" discusses the amazing discoveries of Aristarchus of Samos, Thales of Miletus, Anaximander, Theodorus of Samos, Empedocles, and Democritus, rational analytic people all. They freely pursued actual scientific knowledge, while others (Plato, Aristotle, and the Pythagoreans) advocated slavery and mysticism regarding some geometric shapes and irrational numbers. My favorite person among them is Aristarchus. His contemporaries considered him "alpha" (1st) in no subject, but "beta" (2nd) in everything. I would trade everything in my life to be that. So I would watch the entire Cosmos series just for that one episode, to understand how some ancient Greeks understood that the Earth was a sphere, that there were indivisable "atoms", that the Earth was 24,000 miles in circumference (and why), that the Earth circled the Sun, and that the stars were suns very far away. I am profoundly moved that the ancient Greeks understood many things not re-discovered by Europeans for more than a 1,000 years. As Sagan suggested, just imagine that the ancient Greek scientists hadn't been overcome by the Greek mystics like Aristotle and Plato, setting us back 1,000-1,500 years. We would have colonized the solar system by now and be on our way to the stars. That's why I love Cosmos. My high school and college classes never mentioned all that. The science classes only focused on modern Europe and the history classes only taught about ancient Greeks in the Trojan and The Peloponnesian War. Cosmos goes beyond that. I love the Encyclopedia Galactica too, of course. I hit freeze frame on the DVD for each planet he examines, trying to figure out the biology and society of the alien planets. But I know JUST enough chemistry to know I don't know enough about it but that it seems rationally possible. Everyone should own a copy of Cosmos and watch it every few months. I won't forget the Encyclopedia Galactica, but that is future speculation.
A**ー
約40年前リアルタイムで見てました。どうしても見たく購入しました。以外とドラマパートが多く「こんなんだったけ？」と言う感想でした。 もちろん番組を見れた感動はかわりません。
D**D
Si nos enseñaran de esta forma en la escuela todos querríamos ser científicos. Imperdible serie y tampoco se pueden perder las nuevas temporadas con Neil DeGrass Tyson
A**A
Spedizione velocissima! Prodotto in perfette condizioni. Non potevo chiedere di meglio. Un documentario scientifico che ha fatto storia e ognuno dovrebbe aver visto.
S**E
Very happy with this DVD set!
Y**E
Yes it is old, yes the image is far from HDTV but the content is the most interesting thing I've seen on tv in two decades, before they decided that we were too dumb and that tv had to be about celebrities... A must watch for everyone and you don't have to be scientific minded as Sagan's ability to explain science in original ways has made him a highly recognized popularizer of science. The mix of poetry and science makes this show enjoyable for everyone.
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