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Sagan: el maestro de todos nosotros
El diario PÚBLICO entrega los domingos un DVD de la serie COSMOS que concibió, escribió (en colaboración con Ann Druyan y Steven), dirigió y presentó Carl Sagan. Es una buena razón más para desear que llegue el Día del Señor.
Como a muchas personas de mi generación, COSMOS supuso una revolución. Los que empezábamos una carrera científica nos animaba a continuarla y, sin duda, fomentó muchas vocaciones científicas entre los más jóvenes. Además, la serie de TV se completó con un libro excelente que se publicó en España en 1980 (el ejemplar de mi colección es de 1980, 4ª edición, con 41000 ejemplares vendidos, lo que debía ser un número alto para la época) y que se ha seguido reeditando (hay al menos edición de 2004).
Hoy, con la perspectivas de la edad, con una carrera científica de casi 30 años y con mucho interés en actividades relacionadas con la Cultura Científica; he visto los dos primeros capítulos de la serie y me descubro ante la gran calidad general de los episodios y lo bien que cuenta la Ciencia.
La serie es destacable por el rigor científico, sin embargo, asequible para todos. Recomendaría que la serie fuese de visión obligatoria en la asignatura de Ciencias para un Mundo Contemporáneo de 1º de bachillerato; pues aunque tiene más de 30 años, sigue siendo actual (los episodios tienen un añadido final rodado 10 años después actualizando información).
Sólo queda decir, parafraseando a Laplace (referiéndose a Euler) «Leed a Euler, leed a Euler. Él es el maestro de todos nosotros.» (título de la excelente biografía de Euler, escrita por William Dunham, que es un libro de fácil lectura). Actualizando la frase: IMITAD A CARL SAGAN, ES EL MAESTRO DE TODOS LOS QUE ESTAMOS INTERESADOS EN LA DIVULGACIÓN Y CULTURA CIENTÍFICA.
Por cierto, recomiendo la visión de este segundo episodio a los detractores (sin usar razones científicas) de los transgénicos. Aunque Sagan no habla de transgénico, sí lo hace de evolución artificial: prácticamente toda nuestra ganadería y agricultura es producto de la evolución artificial.
Bernardo Herradón
IQOG-CSIC





However selective I am about new bookmarks this one made it past my filter, and a look at strategyplanner confirmed the bookmark was worth the slot, the precious slots in my permanent bookmark folder are difficult to earn and this site earned one without making me think twice about whether the slot was justified by the quality.
Started reading and ended an hour later without realising the time had passed, and a look at signaldrivesclarity produced the same time dilation effect, when content makes time feel different the writer has achieved something well beyond the average and this site is producing that experience for me reliably across multiple readings.
Approaching this with the usual skepticism I bring to new sites and being slowly persuaded, and a stop at clarityanchorsmotion continued that gradual persuasion, the careful path from skeptical reader to genuine fan is the only one I trust and this site has walked me along that path through patient consistent quality across pieces.
Just want to record that this site is entering my regular reading list, and a look at progressmomentum confirmed it deserves the spot, my regular reading list is short and well curated and adding to it requires meeting a fairly high quality bar that this site has clearly cleared without much effort apparently.
Reading this in the time it took to drink half a cup of coffee, and a stop at strategicalliancelink fit naturally into the second half, content that respects the rhythms of a typical morning is content with practical fit and this site has the kind of length and pacing that works for the way I actually read.
Closed my email tab so I could read this without interruption, and a stop at progressmovesintelligently earned the same protected attention, when content is good enough to defend against the usual digital distractions you know it deserves better than the half attention most online reading gets in a typical busy day.
Bookmark earned and the bookmark feels like a permanent addition rather than a maybe, and a look at momentumbuildsforward confirmed that permanent status, the difference between durable bookmarks and ephemeral ones is something I have learned to feel quickly and this site triggered the durable feeling almost immediately during my first read here.
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Bookmark added with a small mental note that this is a site to keep, and a look at progressmoveswithsignal reinforced the keep status, the verb keep rather than visit captures something about how I think about this kind of site and it is a higher tier of relationship than I have with most places online today.
Skipped breakfast still reading this and finished hungry but satisfied, and a stop at strongbusinessalliance kept me past breakfast time, content that displaces basic biological needs is content with serious attentional pull and the writers here are clearly capable of producing that level of engagement which is genuinely impressive these days.
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Probably this is one of the better quiet successes on the open web at the moment, and a look at foundationalliancebond reinforced that quiet success quality, sites that are doing well without making a noise about doing well are the sites I most respect and this one has clearly chosen the quiet success path consistently throughout.
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Worth saying this site reads better than most paid newsletters I have tried, and a stop at focusvector confirmed that comparison, the bar for free content is often lower than for paid but this site clears the paid bar consistently and that says something about the editorial approach behind the work being published here regularly.
Just want to recognise that someone clearly cared about how this turned out, and a look at intentionalmomentum confirmed that care extends across the broader site, you can feel the difference between content shipped to hit a deadline and content released because the writer was actually proud of the result for once.
Felt like the writer was speaking directly to someone with my level of curiosity, neither talking down nor showing off, and a stop at progressmovesnaturally kept that comfortable matching going, finding writing that meets you where you are rather than asking you to climb up or stoop down feels great every time it happens.
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Most of my reading time goes to a small number of trusted sources and this one is now joining that group, and a stop at ideaclarity reinforced the group membership, the few sites that earn a place in my regular rotation are sites I expect ongoing returns from and this one has earned that elevated position consistently.
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Probably this is one of the better quiet successes on the open web at the moment, and a look at focusnavigationhub reinforced that quiet success quality, sites that are doing well without making a noise about doing well are the sites I most respect and this one has clearly chosen the quiet success path consistently throughout.
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Left me wanting to read more rather than feeling burned out, that is a good sign, and a look at strategicflow confirmed there is plenty more here to explore, the kind of writing that builds appetite rather than killing it which is a rare quality on the modern open internet today across most categories of content.
Reading this triggered a small but real correction in something I had assumed, and a stop at evercorebond extended that corrective effect, content that updates my beliefs through evidence rather than rhetoric is content with intellectual integrity and this site has earned that label consistently across the pieces I have read so far today.
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Bookmark earned, share earned, return visit earned, all from one reading session, and a look at covenantpartners did the same, the trifecta of bookmark and share and return is rare in a single visit and represents the highest level of engagement I tend to offer any piece of online content these days here.
Once you find a site like this the search for similar voices begins, and a look at bondedprosperity extended the search energy, finding a high quality reference point makes the gap between it and adjacent sources visible in a way it was not before and this site has provided that high reference point across multiple recent visits.
Now recognising the post as a rare example of careful writing on a topic that mostly receives careless treatment, and a stop at signalcreatesalignment extended that contrast with the average elsewhere, content that highlights how much the average is settling for low quality is content that has both internal merit and external value as a benchmark.