Cosmos: A Personal Voyage
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Cosmos: A Personal Voyage

1980, Science  -   197 Comments
8.68
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Ratings: 8.68/10 from 820 users.

With Cosmos, Carl Sagan and his wife and co-writer, Ann Druyan, brilliantly illustrated the underlying science of his same-titled book, placing the human species within a space-and-time context that brought the infinite into stunningly clear view. The series, which originally aired in 1980 on PBS, has been seen by more than 700 million people worldwide and remains a high-water mark in miniseries history.

Sagan lucidly explains such topics as Einstein's theory of relativity, Darwin's theory of evolution, and the greenhouse effect, bringing the mysteries of the universe down to a layman’s level of understanding. The footage in these remastered, seven-DVD or seven-VHS sets is as fresh and riveting as it was two decades ago and is certain to fire the imaginations of a whole new generation of viewers. This is THE GREATEST television series ever.

This documentary inspired me to a love of science, learning, and freedom of inquiry that have shaped both my interests and intellectual curiosity. Of the hundreds of high-quality science doc series released in the interim, none approach the majesty and depth of this one. An elegant and artistic enterprise for a well-organized, self-correcting way of reasoning and thinking about the universe/time we occupy. After a quarter of a century, this series is as captivating as it is an education.

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BangoChango
BangoChango
2 years ago

it's a shame Carl Sagan didn't have a "religious" experience, his life would have complete, IMO

Susannah Acworth
Susannah Acworth
3 years ago

Just brilliant - thank you so much. I've been saying for a while, that I am the cosmos - as are all beings. When we realize this will we not be awestruck - and love life more?

daniel
daniel
4 years ago

i seen it when i was young .this is a fantastic documentary from the cosmos i like his voise an love al it was so wonderful a journey to the cosmos together in a fantasy schip with Carel Sagan seen this powerful stars and the wonderful planets.

bobby
bobby
4 years ago

for the doubters...............
to understand science we study science
to understand God we study religion
Sagan studied science. That was a start.

Spiv
Spiv
5 years ago

Doesn't matter how many times I watch this, I am in awe of Carl.
He is one of me lifelong mentors and science teacher.
Carl impacted the lives of so many millions of people and 'Cosmos' is the doubtless best documentary ever produced.

Shiva
Shiva
6 years ago

was..was sublime :)
I enjoyed it very much
♥ :)

Vitt
Vitt
7 years ago

I remember watching these from time to time in one of my astronomy classes. I'll never forget Mr. Pohl and how he showed this universe to us. Sagan explains it all in the best way I could ever imagine. He opened my mind at a younger age, when most people around me were just wanting to play video games and that was about the extent of their depth of thought. Watching it again now, I gain an even more deep understanding of the message. Truly profound and absolutely beautiful this creation is. By no means is this all random.

anne
anne
7 years ago

No sound for me.

Pie
Pie
8 years ago

Hi, episode 8 is not in the playlist. I wanted to see this one especially because of speed of light. But I have watched them all since friday only to discover after the last episode that episode 8 is missing haha.

bgrnathan
bgrnathan
8 years ago

SCIENCE SHOWS THAT THE UNIVERSE CANNOT BE ETERNAL because it could not have sustained itself eternally due to the law of entropy (increasing and irreversible net energy decay, even in an open system). Even a hypothetical oscillating universe could not continue to oscillate eternally! Einstein showed that space, matter, and time all are physical and all had a beginning. Space even produces particles because it’s actually something, not nothing. Even time had a beginning! Time is not eternal.

The law of entropy doesn't allow the universe to be eternal. If the universe were eternal, everything, including time (which modern science has shown is as physical as mass and space), would have become totally entropied by now and the entire universe would have ended in a uniform heat death a long, long time ago. The fact that this hasn't happened already is powerful evidence for a beginning to the universe.

Popular atheistic scientist Stephen Hawking admits that the universe had a beginning and came from nothing but he believes that nothing became something by a natural process yet to be discovered. That's not rational thinking at all, and it also would be making the effect greater than its cause to say that nothing created something. The beginning had to be of supernatural origin because natural laws and processes do not have the ability to bring something into existence from nothing. What about the Higgs boson (the so-called “God Particle”)? The Higgs boson does not create mass from nothing, but rather it converts energy into mass. Einstein showed that all matter is some form of energy.

The supernatural origin of the universe cannot be proved by science but science points to a supernatural intelligence and power for the origin and order of the universe. Where did God come from? Obviously, unlike the universe, God’s nature doesn’t require a beginning.

EXPLAINING HOW AN AIRPLANE WORKS doesn't mean no one made the airplane. Explaining how life or the universe works doesn't mean there was no Maker behind them. Natural laws may explain how the order in the universe works and operates, but mere undirected natural laws cannot explain the origin of that order. Once you have a complete and living cell then the genetic code and biological machinery exist to direct the formation of more cells, but how could life or the cell have naturally originated when no directing code and mechanisms existed in nature? Read my Internet article: HOW FORENSIC SCIENCE REFUTES ATHEISM.

Even the father of Chaos theory admitted that the "mechanisms" existing in the non-living world allow for only very rudimentary levels of order to arise spontaneously (by chance), but not the kind or level of order we find in the structures of DNA, RNA, and proteins. Yes, individual amino acids have been shown to come into existence by chance but not protein molecules which require that the various amino acids be in a precise sequence just like the letters found in a sentence.

The disorder in the universe can be explained because of chance and random processes, but the order can be explained only because of intelligence and design.

WHAT IS SCIENCE? Science simply is knowledge based on observation. No human observed the universe coming by chance or by design, by creation or by evolution. These are positions of faith. The issue is which faith the scientific evidence best supports.

Some things don’t need experiment or scientific proof. In law there is a dictum called prima facie evidence. It means “evidence that speaks for itself.”

An example of a true prima facie would be if you discovered an elaborate sand castle on the beach. You don’t have to experiment to know that it came by design and not by the chance forces of wind and water.

If you discovered a romantic letter or message written in the sand, you don’t have to experiment to know that it was by design and not because a stick randomly carried by wind put it there. You naturally assume that an intelligent and rational being was responsible.

jaberwokky
jaberwokky
10 years ago

I just watched half an hour of this while I was waiting for the series to download. I said to myself I'd be fair and watch the original again (15 years later) before starting the new series ... I'm gonna at least give Neil deGrasse Tyson the benefit of the doubt, and I think the only way to really do that is to shake off the fond memories I have of Carl or at the very least have a clean set of memories to compare against.

Here's hoping Mr (deGrasse) Tyson does half as good a job as my memory. Science for the win!!

Edit: For anyone that hasn't watched this I highly recommend it. It's one of the best science docs you could ever watch and probably the most educational thing you could ever show your kids.

Jim B
Jim B
10 years ago

One day a group of scientists got together and decided that man had
come a long way and no longer needed God. So they picked one scientist to go and tell Him that they were done with Him.

The scientist walked up to God and said, "God, we've decided that
we no longer need you. We're to the point that we can clone people and do many miraculous things, so why don't you just go on and get lost."

God listened very patiently and kindly to the man and after the
scientist was done talking, God said, "Very well, how about this, let's
say we have a man making contest." To which the scientist replied, "OK, great!"

But God added, "Now, we're going to do this just like I did back in the old days with Adam."

The scientist said, "Sure, no problem" and bent down and grabbed himself a handful of dirt.

God just looked at him and said, "No, no, no. You go get your own dirt!"

Blüdbjorn the Fortitudinous
Blüdbjorn the Fortitudinous
10 years ago

A virulent pox on the wankers who keep taking it down from youtube or flagging unavailable in this country. If there's one bit of media that could uplift the human condition by being freely available to all, it's Cosmos. MJ's We Are the World aint got crap.

Keith H
Keith H
10 years ago

I discovered this site and the wonders of Carl Sagan's genius and fantastic presenting only in December - he leaves his own great legacy to the world and we should thank him for that and cherish it.
Cosmos - A truly wonderful work

Je Suis
Je Suis
10 years ago

I loves all of Carl Sagan films. He was an inspiration to my education.

bruce thomas
bruce thomas
10 years ago

Carl Sagan, the guy that introduced the Magic of science with poetic precision.

melly
melly
10 years ago

does anyone know if there is by chance a book of his exact narration from this series? I know there is a book that he wrote, but it is not an exact narration. anyone?

Hazel Crawford
Hazel Crawford
10 years ago

A masterpiece of inspiration and import about mankind's journey of discovery, which is accessible to all. The work of Sagan and crew will no doubt remain an evergreen archive for humanity for many more years to come.

Vexst Junglist
Vexst Junglist
10 years ago

this is one of my all time favourite series, ive watched it many times, i intend to buy it one day so i can enjoy it high quality, if you have not watched it i recomend it, might have already commented saying roughly the same, ive watched each episode more than ten times, and also i used it too help me drift off to sleep, carl, you the man yo!

jane forshaw
jane forshaw
10 years ago

it reminds me why i love live and all it diversites

wheelnut53
wheelnut53
10 years ago

I never get tired of watching this video

Mustafa Abouzed
Mustafa Abouzed
10 years ago

Hello, I've downloaded this movie successfully, but unfortunately I can't see the English subtitle, so can you help me, please?

Lazra
Lazra
10 years ago

where does history fit into science?

edshaw
edshaw
11 years ago

I could have done without the producer's "creation versus evolution" axe to grind, although, that's probably the key to receiving funding; I mean, what is a documentary if it doesn't take its swipes at the dreaded "faith community."
Truth is, no one knows for sure exactly how it happened, but that is irrelevent. The point is that the liberal academic establishment wants to keep a tight grip on all the action, be it scientific or otherwise.
The first hour was fantastic. Everyone has to love it. When it got political, though, charmed as I was, I bailed on it.
(NSI)

Winston Smith
Winston Smith
11 years ago

Sagan had such a relaxing voice. I find it so, anyway. Maybe because I watched these growing up or because they were among the early influences that led to a lifelong love affair with science. Sagan was an enlightened man. Oh that men of his caliber could run the world. This series will always remain relevant. Though the introduction by the woman suggesting the world is any less dangerous today than it was during the 'cold war,' is mistaken.

keykrazy
keykrazy
11 years ago

For What It's Worth, Carl Sagan was inspired to begin work on "Cosmos" after having watched Jacob Bronowski's wonderful series "The Ascent of Man".

I highly recommend the latter program to anyone who enjoyed "Cosmos". A book was later produced using the text from the video series -- much like Joseph Cambell's (with Bill Moyers) "The Power of Myth".

Robert
Robert
11 years ago

There are three words that describe a learned person. I don't know. All of us are ignorant for none of us can know everything. An arrogant intellect is a fool for even a feeble minded can befuddle him.

Russ101
Russ101
11 years ago

anyone wanna start a 'troll' fight? I'm game but, just for warning. I'll disarm you first with my vocabulary. Then I'll use the very foundations of science to fold your words around you like a junk yard automobile compactor watching and waiting feverishly for you to return, put on spot and perplexed to the point of bumbling confusion. Where I jump through the shadows like a sci-ninja
(I call science ninjas like sensi Sagan) swiftly leaping through all the blind spots high lighted in the high school text books you failed to take any notice of. poised to attack than with a steel through butter slice like my superior intellect if not a side effect or possibly a protruding growth that would explain my neck caste. Heads will roll! ha ha ha - ha ha ha - ha ha ha - ha ha ha ha!

Jesus Rivera
Jesus Rivera
11 years ago

I need some door to be open.To search for peace I have tried many things..(silva mind control,rosicrucian,scientology,etc,etc,etc...What is real,please help me.

joseph campbell
joseph campbell
11 years ago

He was more ingenious than known,,in this film,,he explains in different dimensions if you know how to watch for it,,especially of when,,and how we were doomed and totally enslaved for eternity,,when they intentionally destroyed,(took and hid for the crown),,all intelligence up to that point,,and many had to wait 1500-2000 yrs to openly re-discover it,,over and over.,,bless sagen,,amen---stop

Erik Pål
Erik Pål
11 years ago

Fantastic Sagan

will
will
11 years ago

I remember watching this as a kid, and watching it again after Sagan's death. One of the most inspiring people I've ever seen.

Stephen Nyirongo
Stephen Nyirongo
11 years ago

i used to watch this as a kid and it changed my life. am so gald to stumble on it now. i'll watch and wacth and watch again, thank god i can now understand every word

Jamiehunt246
Jamiehunt246
11 years ago

now i know where morphious's voice pitch comes from....

Terry L. Brown
Terry L. Brown
11 years ago

I would like to see a documentary like this that includes the lost Kingdoms of Africa, Asia and the America's because those people contributed a great deal of knowledge to our learning. When Europe was in the Dark ages Africa was in its third Golden Age and who kows what else was going on in the World.

rljp
rljp
11 years ago

Mr Sagan I am now watching this series once again. And I wonder if we will be watching this with admiration BILLIONS of years into the future. :) This is the most incredible series for anyone who would like to make understandings from the people, planet, and cosmos. Thank you Thank you Thank you. You are the best teacher I ever had.

Malte Schulze-Boeing
Malte Schulze-Boeing
11 years ago

Carl Sagan is such an inspiring teacher. His passion and curiosity and knowledge is addictive.

Woodat
Woodat
11 years ago

I remember watching Cosmos on TV in the 80's
R.I.P Carl

khortoom
khortoom
11 years ago

WOW it's daunting to weigh your knowledge of the cosmos after 30 years :) If you pay attention there are images and he says things that have long been answered (the giant elliptical galaxies in the center of some clusters, they may be the home to what astronomers call a "quasar"... talking of supermassive black holes... :)...)

james ritch
james ritch
11 years ago

R.I.P Carl

Roxy Williams
Roxy Williams
11 years ago

Very good material here. I however find that with most documentaries of this nature, the author never deals with the fact that Matter is conscious and entire universe is one consciousness. Is this a step too far?

Justin Lesniewski
Justin Lesniewski
11 years ago

ive seen so many documentaries over the years, but this one is the most fascinating. (and its like 30 years old!) STRAP YOURSELF IN FOR A 13 Hour RRIDE

Rodion Kuznetsov
Rodion Kuznetsov
11 years ago

Classic!!! The best man in science popularization... More Carl Sagans in today world must grow up... There is something eternal in this film!!!

snowinis
snowinis
11 years ago

That well organized plan you see now has been perfected over billions and billions of year. And it is not really well organized though, comets and planets still colliding with each other, you are just too small and go out too quickly to see it. The serene, peaceful Earth you are living in now has been changing for more than 4 billion years... Consider your life of only mere 100 years, I doubt that you will see any big change of the Earth, ever.

thomasweissenfluh
thomasweissenfluh
11 years ago

when I look at the universe, i see a well organized plan. everythings seems to be exactly where it needs to be. but thats just me.

cvas1986
cvas1986
12 years ago

just finished watching a few nights ago... i am now constantly thinking about things that Sagan went over such as life, death, history of science, and the environment. i am 26 yrs old and an environmental scientist, and it still drives me crazy how many people i run into (even around my age) that don't believe in any earth science... it's like they just want to be more masculine or act more tough by denying problems that exist. HOW CAN PEOPLE DOUBT SCIENCE? CARL SAGAN IS THE MAN! R.I.P.

Peter Beck
Peter Beck
12 years ago

Carl Sagan was a great man, the world did loose an important voice in 1996.

radicalcourse
radicalcourse
12 years ago

I believe that these series are great. Looking forward to watch them. Thank you for the post. I would recommend everyone to see BBC "Human Animal" series which concentrate on the human nature from a zoologist's perspective.

dks2012
dks2012
12 years ago

I grew up on this, and still enjoy it now as much as i did then. Carl and cosmos inspired me to become who i am today. Still the best science doco series ever made.

pan thor
pan thor
12 years ago

@ nachomonkey

Thanks man...this is awesome :)

I was such a dumbass trying to watch 14 episodes at the same time. It makes way more sense now.