Comets and the Origin of Life
Jonathan
Apr 26, 20262 October 1991Aurora, IL — Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy
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The inaugural Thompson Leadership Lecture at IMSA — Sagan on comets and the origin of life, calling the academy 'a gift from the people of Illinois to the human future.'
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Summary
The lecture argues that comets may have helped make life possible by delivering organic compounds to early Earth and may also have influenced evolution through a mass extinction event that ended the dinosaurs. Sagan uses this to emphasize the interconnectedness of science and the importance of interdisciplinary learning and scientific responsibility.
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