A Breathtaking Reminder of Earth's Minuscule Place in the Universe

Just before the Voyager 1 space probe exited our solar system in 1990, the late astronomer Carl Sagan requested that it take one last photo of Earth. The resulting image, known as "The Pale Blue Dot," shows our planet as a small speck in a vast universe.

Sagan penned an eloquent essay on the image's greater meaning for his book, Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space. Now a new video from "The Sagan Series" — an open-source project dedicated to spreading scientific literacy — has brought those words to life.

The video combines audio from Sagan's audiobook with footage of the world's most significant leaders, cultural events and natural beauty, stitching them together to create a complete picture of life on Earth. In its closing moments, Sagan makes a compelling plea for humans to take better care of one another and our planet. Read more...