This week: Ann Druyan and Nick Sagan give us a unique and heartfelt look into the origins of Cosmos and Contact — and what esteemed scientist, citizen, father, and husband Carl Sagan was really like. SETI @ Home chief scientist Dan Werthimer explains humanity’s actual plan for how to deal with the discovery of an extra-terrestrial signal. We watch and discuss Contact. And we catch up on sci-fi news, including new books in the I, Robot series, an SG-U writer/producers blog meltdown, hope for Dr. Horrible 2, and the first How To Train Your Dragon trailer. Don’t forget: We’re celebrating Carl Sagan’s 75th birthday with a party on TalkShoe starting at 8pm CT Monday, Nov. 9th. (Details on galacticwatercooler.com!)
Talk about special guests!!!
I remember watching Contact when I was about 17 and I remember seeing the dedication to Carl Sagan at the end of the movie. Being my sarcastic 17 year old self at the time it didn’t mean much to me, I mean who was Carl Sagan anyway? Going through the Cosmos arc with you guys changed how I see and feel about the universe. Watching Contact again the other day when his name came up I felt such an emense sense of loss and it wasn’t the first time I cried a little during this arc.
Thank you for introducing me to Carl Sagan. Note to 17 year old self: Carl Sagan was awesome. He was made of star stuff.
I just started listening, but I had to make a comment about Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle. Not only was John Cho (from Star Trek) in it, but from comic book movies, there were also Kal Penn (Superman Returns) and Ryan Reynolds (Blade:Trinity, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, Green Lantern, and Deadpool).
Oh yeah, and this guy:
…who, as you know, has a Ph.D. in Horribleness. 
(He also fought giant bugs.)
absolutely the best podcast you folks have done thank you very much for the cosmos arc… Loved everything about it
I do have a question though maybe i missed it but do we all know what the next arc is or are we doing some free form episodes?
either way its was just a great experience with the last arc.
Extraordinary podcast. Kudos to all. Without a doubt your best and most important interview ever. Well done. 
I haven’t seen Contact in a couple of years, in fact it’s been a couple of years since I first saw it and I have an awesome high school teacher to thank for that.
It was the end of the semester and we really didn’t have anything to do, so my teacher, whom I regret left the next year, she decided to put on Contact. I had never even heard of the film but from the moment the opening sequence started I was absolutely mesmerized. I thought it was simply amazing, so for the next couple of days as we watched the film I sat at the back of the class and tried to take as much as I could in. But unfortunately we had a couple of sorrybarb-holes in the class who thought is was just a crappy movie and talked throughout the whole thing and generally distracted everyone else.
So we finished the film and I went to go home, but as I was leaving my teacher called me over and explained how she had noticed that I was very interested in the film and asked if I would like to borrow it so I could watch it properly. I promptly said hell yes, grabbed the film and headed home, where that night I watched it again and was blown away even more.
I really have that film and the teacher who showed it to me to thank for solidifying my interest in the universe in general and scifi.
Jeff
Nice…! NPH and a phallic symbol…you do know he’s fabulous 
Ok, back to the podcast proper - you know Edward de Bono had this book, “Po - beyond Yes and No” ?
I feel Contact (the book & movie) opened up a new genre - not quite Science Fiction nor totally Science Fact, but Science Plausible?
It’s really sad that Sagan had been campaigning about Global Warming waaaay before there was a green movement 30-40 years ago. The Michael Moore fan in me instinctively blames this on corporate greed. And the arrogance of humanity. ~_~
thank you for bringing this podcast to us. the interview with Ann Druyan and Nick Sagan is incredible.
That was pretty stunning. more of a documtary (podumentary?) than a simple cast. There was a clarity and richness to the way they both communicated. I was at the dog run listening and found myself a wee bit choked up near the end. There’s a joy tinged with melancholy about the whole thing that’s really powerful.
SS
A great podcast all around. Catching up recently with all post-BSG casts, it is really noticable how far you’ve come in production values.
The interviews really served to flesh out Carl Sagan and the S.E.T.I. program for those like me with only a passing knowledge of both. It really is a loss to the world we live in with Dr. Sagan’s passing.
Keep up the great work and I look forward to next week’s podcast.
Wow! I got chills listening to Ann Druyan. I forgot just how bright and insightful SHE was, and is. The way she speaks of Carl and his work is very touching.
Great stuff, guys. And thank you for the two-hour podcasts, too. Much appreciated.
…fail.
Ss
RE: New Dr. Horrible. I figured if they were ever gonna do another Dr. Horrible the plight would be bringing Penny back to life. He is afterall a supervillian and mad scientist. Franken-Penny!
IYKWIM
baltar
Just listening to the podcast now (it’s nice to be caugth up agian). Anyway the discussion of Hypatia and the School of Athens painting sent me down the Wikipedea rabbit hole. Anyway it turns out that a movie about Hypatia called Agora (IMBD link & Wikipedia link) staring Rachel Weisz is going to be released in the US next month. It was screened at Cannes and supposedly received mixed reviews, but it has already been released in Spain and has been the highest grossing film of the year (according to Wikipedia). Apparently there is also already some controversy surrounding the film.
Also according to Wikipedea:
News that the film will not be distributed in Italy sparked controversy. The lack of distribution has been considered a sign of the influence of the Catholic Church, which would be displeased by a film dealing with a historical figure who was murdered by Christian monks because of her pagan religion.
Sorry if any of this is mentioned in the back half of the 'cast. Another great one as always!
Edit: I may have spoken too soon. Apparently a distributor isn’t necessarily lined up for the US either, but this Variety story suggests that the success of the movie in Spain is making some particularly Sony take a second look.
If any one is curious a trailer can be seen here and of course on Youtube…
The new Foundation Trilogy was written by Gregory Benford, Greg Bear, and David Brin.
Maybe she’ll be named Nicole…
That was really awesome when SETI @ Home chief scientist Dan Werthimer talked about arguments for and against sending and receiving signals. “We should just be listening.”
Absolutely fantastic.
This Podcast was awesome.
After listening to this podcast I was thinking about the “worst case scenario” when it comes to contact with alien species. The worst case senario usually is something like this…
The aliens come to our planet, they exploit our resources, and they commit slavery, genocide, and/or experiment on our people.
I wonder if this is the worst case scenario that generally comes to mind, because these are some of the acts that the worst of humankind has repeatedly commited. Maybe this is another reason we have not been contacted. Well, if we do get contacted here’s hoping the “worst case scenario” is that we get visited by a bunch of D-bags.
Oh and on the subject of Luck Dragons…
(Fixed – Chuck) (Thank you! – S.J.)