The message that Carl Sagan left for the first humans on Mars – 03/29/2024 – Science

Shortly before dying of pneumonia on December 20, 1996, Carl Sagan, an icon of astronomy and popular science, known worldwide for the television series “Cosmos”, left a message for those who, in the future, would set foot on Martian soil. .

From his workplace in Ithaca, New York, near Cornell University, he recorded some words filled with emotion and nostalgia. “This is Carl Sagan (…) Perhaps you can hear, in the background, a 60-meter waterfall, which is probably — I think — a rarity on Mars,” he says in his message.

Known for his fervent advocacy of Mars exploration and for co-founding the Planetary Society, Sagan saw Mars not just as a destination but as an extension of the scientific field, a mirror through which to observe the history of our planet. His enthusiasm is evident in every word of the message, reflecting his vision of the interplay between science and science fiction, a cycle of mutual inspiration that drove our fascination and our ability to reach the red planet.

“Science and science fiction have danced a kind of dance over the last century, especially with regard to Mars”: Sagan tells how this symbiosis was vital to his own scientific development and that of many others, including Robert Goddard, pioneer of modern rockets.

This recording of Sagan was sent to Mars aboard NASA’s Phoenix lander, arriving on May 25, 2008. It is preserved on a mini DVD that will hopefully remain on the Red Planet for millennia.

“I don’t know why you are on Mars”

In one part of his message, Sagan speculates about the reasons that could lead humanity to Mars, from managing asteroid threats to human expansion as a hedge against planetary catastrophes. “I don’t know why you’re on Mars”, he ponders, opening up a range of scientific and existential possibilities, finally expressing his joy with the human presence on the planet and his desire to share this experience.

“I don’t know why you’re on Mars. Maybe because we’ve realized that we need to move small asteroids carefully to prevent them from hitting Earth with catastrophic consequences, and even though we’re in space near Earth, Mars is just a stone’s throw away.”

“Or maybe we’re on Mars because we know that if there are human communities on many worlds, the chances of us being wiped out by a catastrophe on a single world are much lower,” says Sagan.

“Or maybe we’re on Mars because we have to be, because there’s a deep nomadic impulse built into us by the evolutionary process. After all, we came from hunter-gatherers, and for 99.9% of our time on Earth, we were wanderers. And the next place we can go is Mars. But whatever reason you’re on Mars, I’m glad you’re there. And I’d like to be with you,” concludes Sagan.