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Carl Sagan Trivia Quiz

This quiz is based on facts from Carl's life.

A multiple-choice quiz by Gamemaster1967. Estimated time: 6 mins.

Author
Gamemaster1967

Time
6 mins

Type
Multiple Choice

Quiz #
108,903

Updated
Dec 03 21

# Qns
10

Difficulty
Difficult

Avg Score
5 / 10

Plays
726

Awards
Top 20% Quiz

Last 3 plays: Guest 66 (2/10), Guest 142 (3/10), Guest 75 (3/10).

One at a Time - Single Page - Timed Game

Question 1 of 10

1. Carl Sagan has been called "The _______ of Science" for his ability to open people's minds to scientific exploration. Hint

Visionary

Prophet

Nostradamus

Soothsayer

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Question 2 of 10

2. He wins a scholarship to the University of Chicago at age 16.

True

False

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Question 3 of 10

3. What year did he and Russian Astronomer I.S. Shklovsky publish their work entitled "Intelligent Life in the Universe"? Hint

1961

1966

1971

1978

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Question 4 of 10

4. He was a correspondent for the television news program "60 Minutes" in 1978.

Yes

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Question 5 of 10

5. Which of these works won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1978? Hint

Contact

Intelligent Life in the Universe

The Dragons of Eden

Cosmos

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Question 6 of 10

6. Which of these magazine covers did Carl make it on to in October of 1980? Hint

Time

People

Life

Omni

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Question 7 of 10

7. NASA honored Carl three different times. It was for his work on the planetary missions Voyager, Mariner, and __________.

Answer: (1 word...starts with V)

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Question 8 of 10

8. He published the novel "Contact" in 1985. A movie of the same name was released in 1997. Who directed this movie? Hint

Jodie Foster

John Badham

James Cameron

Robert Zemeckis

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Question 9 of 10

9. Carl died on December 20, 1996 of what disease? Hint

Thyroid cancer

Lung cancer

Bone marrow disease

Hepatitis

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Question 10 of 10

10. NASA launched its Pathfinder Mars Lander sixteen days before he passed away. As a tribute to him, they renamed it what? Hint

Carl Sagan Pathfinder

Carl Sagan Memorial Station

The Sagan Pathfinder

Sagan's Memorial Pathfinder

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Most Recent Scores

Nov 13 2024 : Guest 66: 2/10
Nov 10 2024 : Guest 142: 3/10
Nov 07 2024 : Guest 75: 3/10
Nov 07 2024 : Chavs: 6/10
Oct 17 2024 : Guest 172: 8/10
Oct 17 2024 : Guest 172: 4/10
Oct 10 2024 : Guest 130: 5/10

Score Distribution

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Carl Sagan has been called "The _______ of Science" for his ability to open people's minds to scientific exploration.

Answer: Prophet

"The Cosmos is all that is or ever was or ever will be." That was the opening to Sagan's 13-part television series "Cosmos" in 1980. The statement was so close to biblical that many began to use the title "The Prophet of Science" to describe him.

2. He wins a scholarship to the University of Chicago at age 16.

Answer: True

In 1955, he earned his Bachelor's Degree and in 1956, his Master's at the University of Chicago. They were both in the area of Physics. Then in 1960, he received a doctorate (PhD) in both Astronomy and Astrophysics.

3. What year did he and Russian Astronomer I.S. Shklovsky publish their work entitled "Intelligent Life in the Universe"?

Answer: 1966

In 1961, he attended his first conference on extraterrestrial life; in 1971, he and Frank Drake design a plaque to go on the Pioneer space probes; and in 1978, he wins a Pulitzer Prize for his book "The Dragons of Eden".

4. He was a correspondent for the television news program "60 Minutes" in 1978.

Answer: No

He was one in 1978 for "20/20". That is the same year that Barbara Walters became the co-anchor on the show.

5. Which of these works won him the Pulitzer Prize in 1978?

Answer: The Dragons of Eden

"Cosmos" did win both an Emmy and a Peabody award, and the companion book "Cosmos" was on The New York Times bestseller list for 70 weeks! It became the all time best-selling science book ever written in English.

6. Which of these magazine covers did Carl make it on to in October of 1980?

Answer: Time

The cover called him "Showman of Science".

7. NASA honored Carl three different times. It was for his work on the planetary missions Voyager, Mariner, and __________.

Answer: Viking

Did you know that he was also an opponent of nuclear weapons? He was very much opposed to them and arrested one time in Nevada at an anti-nuclear protest.

8. He published the novel "Contact" in 1985. A movie of the same name was released in 1997. Who directed this movie?

Answer: Robert Zemeckis

Robert Zemeckis is also known for directing the "Back to the Future" trilogy, "Forrest Gump", "What Lies Beneath", and "Cast Away". "Contact" was dedicated to Sagan because he died before the movie could be released.

9. Carl died on December 20, 1996 of what disease?

Answer: Bone marrow disease

He was 62 years old when he passed away from pneumonia, a complication of his bone marrow disease. He died at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. He had received a bone marrow transplant there in April of 1995. The official name of his bone marrow disease was Myelodysplasia. Myelodysplasia is a form of anemia also called Pre-leukemia Syndrome.

10. NASA launched its Pathfinder Mars Lander sixteen days before he passed away. As a tribute to him, they renamed it what?

Answer: Carl Sagan Memorial Station

The announcement was made on July 4, 1997 by NASA administrator Dan Goldin. It was just hours after the successful landing of Pathfinder in the Ares Vallis region of Mars. The newly named Sagan Station sent back over 16,000 images before contact ended on September 27, 1997.

Source: Author Gamemaster1967

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