UIUC Commencement Address
Carl Sagan
Jonathan
Apr 26, 2026May 1990Urbana-Champaign, IL — University of Illinois
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Sagan's commencement speech at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign on planetary science, scientific literacy, ozone depletion, and nuclear proliferation.
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Summary
A scientific and civic address argues that space exploration reveals Earth’s rarity and fragility. Using Mars, Venus, and nuclear winter as warnings, it calls for urgent global action on nuclear weapons, ozone depletion, greenhouse warming, population growth, and public engagement.
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