Billions and Billions

Title: Billions & Billions – Thoughts on Life and Death at the Brink of the Millennium

Author: Carl Sagan

Publisher: Random House, 1998 (First published 1997)

ISBN: 0-345-37918-7

Pages: 275

Ever the popularizer of science, Sagan’s works transcend the barrier of time that separates us from his original publications. In science, a decade is an eternity, particularly in the fast paced area of study defined by astrophysics. Naturally, it was with some wariness that I took this volume from the library shelf. But it soon delightfully proved me wrong. Sagan’s insight and intuition beat time to function as beacons of information and wisdom for many generations to come. The author was the David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences at Cornell University. He played a leading role in the U.S. space program since its inception. As a scientist trained in both astronomy and biology, he has made seminal contributions to the study of planetary atmospheres, planetary surfaces, the history of the earth and exobiology. Recognitions and awards accrued to him are enormous in that he had received 22 honorary degrees from universities worldwide. Though he is no more, his incomparable style of writing containing clear threads of wit and reason continue to inspire young minds wherever they are responsive. This book first appeared in 1997, but this unique set of 19 essays categorized in three parts justify their right to prolonged existence through the masterly analysis of scientific ideas expressed to illuminate even difficult concepts in a way that can be appreciated by any class of readers.

One of the irritating things about some scientists is their open espousal of superstition and irrational belief. We have heard about religious rituals being followed before the launch of satellites or space vehicles, the wearing of magical charms even by noted scientists and the general drive of people to observe auspicious time for doing important things. Sagan establishes that European science was also not immune to this corrosive effect of religiosity with a good example. When Isaac Newton, generally believed to be the greatest scientist ever lived, discovered the laws of gravity, he correlated the findings with the observed pattern of planets in the solar system. It may be recalled that all planets revolve around the sun in more or less the same plane somewhat like a flat disk. Newton was wonderstruck at this discovery and asserted that god has made them so. The great scientist could not think about any way other than divine tinkering to explain the observation of flat orbital paths. Nearly a century later, other less credulous scientists of the genre of Pierre Simon de Laplace explained the fact convincingly and with the help of no other theorem than Newton’s own – on gravity! The clarification is not very abstract and goes like this. A cloud of dust and gas from which planetary systems form begins to contract due to inherent gravity because of matter in the cloud. As the particles fly inwards, it starts to rotate and there is contraction along the axis of rotation due to gravity, but along the plane of rotation, contraction is further limited by angular velocity. A simple application of the formula resulted in a lucid recounting of the phenomenon only when we determined not to call in an external, divine entity.

The detailed chapter on global warming is more of a warning in nature than actually providing any statistics for the argument. Human-induced climate change may well be true, but judging from responses to the theory from scientists themselves, it seems that the issue is far from settled once and for all. While guarding against undue skepticism which takes too long to provide a fitting response to the problem at hand, the public need to get substantial evidence for the warming effect – not only warming, but that it is caused by human effort. Sagan’s attempt falls much short of this goal. He lists out a long roll call of the grave dangers of global warming such as frequent occurrences of extremely inclement weather, rise in sea levels caused by polar ice melting and expansion of seawater due to warming and desertification of prime agricultural land. However, going by the author’s famous dictum that ‘extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof’, his own chapter is found wanting in providing convincing proof for its claims. This is particularly relevant, as the Inter-Governmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) had been found goofing up the records many times in the past. The society must take this very seriously as only a cursory look at the fearful scenarios presented by the author will goad us to take handle warming in right earnest.

The book demands attention because of the sad fact that this is the author’s final work, before he succumbed to cancer. In a dispassionate way that is the envy of any writer, Sagan himself describes the slow descent to nothingness. His final chapter is continued, or culminated rather, in an epilogue by his wife and author, Anne Druyan. Sagan called for wisdom to be our legacy for future generations who are to follow in our wake. We see many philosophers and thinkers on atheistic and agnostic lines meekly submitting to expectations of divine help or prayer on their deathbeds or while they are terminally ill. No such dillydallying ever occurred in the case of Carl Sagan who stood firm in his belief that one should adhere always to the truth than one which only made us feel better for a short time.

The author was much concerned about the nuclear arms race that was an inheritance of the cold war era. We may feel that those chapters dealing with this grave issue of a previous generation as somewhat dated. At the same time, we must not lose sight of the grim reality that what the author cautions against, or what he ardently tries to open our eyes to, are issues that are relevant to humanity of all ages, till such time as the urge to violently win over our fellow brethren exists in us. While being a steadfast non-believer, the author does not fail in estimating the impact of religion and its leaders on the populace. We see in the text his enthusiastic turn of mind to go the extra mile to claim religion as a fellow traveler in the fight against environmental pollution. On matters of such grave potential as global warming caused by increased levels of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and the hole in ozone layer caused by chlorofluorocarbons, the author appeals to precincts sacred to religion in a bid to enlist their support for his crusade for making the world safer, cleaner and healthier.

The book is highly recommended.

Rating: 3 Star