ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Carolyn Porco - Planetary scientist
As the leader of the Imaging Team on the Cassini mission to Saturn, Carolyn Porco interprets and shares the pictures coming back from this fascinating planet, its rings and its moons.

Why you should listen

Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco studies and interprets the photos from NASA space missions like the renowned Voyager mission to the outer solar system in the 1980s and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. She leads a team of scientists from the US and Europe that has been analyzing the images Cassini has sent back since it left Earth in 1997. At Saturn, they have found new phenomena everywhere they've turned their cameras … in the planet’s atmosphere, within its rings and on the surfaces of its many moons. And they've produced spectacular images and animations of these marvels in the process.

Back in the early-1980s, while still working on her doctorate, Porco was drafted onto the Voyager imaging team to assist in crunching the mountains of data coming back from Voyager’s fly-by of Saturn. Her work on the planet's rings and their relation to its moons cemented her connection with Saturn. After Voyager had flown by Neptune and was nearing conclusion, she worked together with Carl Sagan in planning Voyager’s celebrated Pale Blue Dot picture of Earth.

Her ongoing work at the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPs) has two goals: to process, interpret and archive Cassini’s images for other scientists, and to make sure the images -- in all their breathtaking poetry and mystery and sheer Save-Image-As-Desktop awesomeness -- connect with the general public. She is an advocate for the exploration and understanding of planetary space, and her frequent talks (as well as her "Captain's Log" memos on the CICLOPS website) speak to everyone, scientist and nonscientist alike. Her advocacy extends to Hollywood, where she was the character consultant on the 1997 movie “Contact,” and a consultant on the 2009 Paramount Pictures re-boot of “Star Trek.” In 2012, she was named one the 25 most influential people in space by TIME magazine.

Finally, in a twist on the Pale Blue Dot theme, it was she who conceived the idea to invite the people of the world to smile while Cassini imaged the Earth on July 19, 2013 in an event called “The Day the Earth Smiled.”

For more information: 

Solar System Portrait: Earth as 'Pale Blue Dot'

BBC: Saturn snapped as Earth smiled

The Atlantic: The Carl Sagan of Our Time Reprises the 'Pale Blue Dot' Photo of Earth

The Day the Earth Smiled: Image

Library of Congress: Portraits of the Solar System: Talking with Carolyn Porco About Carl Sagan  

More profile about the speaker
Carolyn Porco | Speaker | TED.com
TED2009

Carolyn Porco: Could a Saturn moon harbor life?

Carolyn Porco: Mohol by byť Saturnov mesiac útočiskom života?

Filmed:
1,054,733 views

Carolyn Porco sa delí o nové vzrušujúce poznatky z nedávneho preletu sondy Cassini okolo jedného z mesiacov Saturna, Encelada. Vzorky získané z ľadových gejzírov mesiaca náznačujú, že oceán pod jeho povrchom by mohol poskytovať podmienky pre život.
- Planetary scientist
As the leader of the Imaging Team on the Cassini mission to Saturn, Carolyn Porco interprets and shares the pictures coming back from this fascinating planet, its rings and its moons. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

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Two yearsleta agopred here at TEDTED
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Pred dvoma rokmi som tu, na pôde TEDu,
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I reportedhlásených that we had discoveredobjavené
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informovala, že sme objavili
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at SaturnSaturn, with the CassiniCassini SpacecraftKozmická loď,
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v okolí Saturna, s pomocou sondy Cassini,
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an anomalouslyanomálne warmteplý and geologicallygeologicky activeaktívny regionkraj
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neobvykle teplú a geologicky aktívnu oblasť
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at the southernjužné tiptip of the smallmalý SaturnineMrzutá moonmesiac
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na južnom póle malého Saturnovho mesiaca
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EnceladusEnceladus, seenvidieť here.
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Enceladus, zobrazený tu.
00:33
This regionkraj seenvidieť here for the first time
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Tá oblasť je prvýkrát zobrazená
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in the CassiniCassini imageobraz takenzaujatý in 2005. This is the southjuh polarpolárne regionkraj,
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na tomto obrázku sondy Cassini z roku 2005. Toto je južná polárna oblasť
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with the famouspreslávený tiger-stripeTiger-stripe fractureszlomeniny crossingprechod the southjuh polepól.
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s povestnými puklinami v tvare tygrích pruhov, ktoré križujú južný pól.
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And seenvidieť just recentlynedávno in lateneskoro 2008,
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Tu je tá istá oblasť opäť, zosnímaná len nedávno,
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here is that regionkraj again,
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na konci roka 2008,
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now halfpolovičná in darknesstma because the southernjužné hemispherehemisféra
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tentokrát polovične ponorená v tme, pretože na južnej pologuli
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is experiencingzažíva the onsetnástup of AugustAugusta
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zapadá od augusta slnko,
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and eventuallynakoniec winterzimné.
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a nastáva zima.
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And I alsotaktiež reportedhlásených that we'dmy by sme madevyrobený this mind-blowingohromujúci discoveryobjav --
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Taktiež som informovala, že sme urobili vzrušujúci objav -
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this once-in-a-lifetimecestu discoveryobjav
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objav ktorý sa podarí iba raz za život
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of toweringtýčiaci sa jetstrysky
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nebetyčných prúdov
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eruptingerupcia from those fractureszlomeniny at the southjuh polepól,
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tryskajúcich zo zlomov na južnom póle,
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consistingpozostávajúce of tinymaličký watervoda iceľad crystalskryštály
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pozostávajúcich z nepatrných kryštálikov vodného ľadu,
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accompaniedspolu by watervoda vaporVapor
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sprevádzaných vodnou parou
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and simpleprostý organicorganický compoundszlúčeniny like carbonuhlík dioxidedioxid and methanemetán.
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a jednoduchými organickými zlúčeninami, ako kysličník uhličitý a metán.
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And at that time two yearsleta agopred
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Vtedy, pred dvomi rokmi,
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I mentionedspomínaný that we were speculatingšpekulovať
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som sa zmienila, že sme špekulovali,
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that these jetstrysky mightsila in factskutočnosť be geysersgejzíry,
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že tieto výtrysky môžu byť v skutočnosti gejzíry
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and eruptingerupcia from pocketsvrecká
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a že vybuchujú z káps
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or chamberskomôr of liquidkvapalina watervoda underneathnaspodku the surfacepovrch,
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alebo komôr tekutej vody pod povrchom.
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but we weren'tneboli really sure.
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Ale, neboli sme si skutočne istí.
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HoweverAvšak, the implicationsdôsledky of those resultsvýsledok --
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Avšak dôsledky týchto výsledkov
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of a possiblemožný environmentprostredie withinvnútri this moonmesiac
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- možná existencia životného prostredia vo vnútri Enceladu
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that could supportpodpora prebioticprebiotikum chemistrychémia,
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schopného podporovať probiotickú chémiu
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and perhapsmožno life itselfsám --
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a snáď i život samotný,
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were so excitingvzrušujúce that, in the interveningvedľajší two yearsleta,
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boli tak vzrušujúce, že v uplynulých dvoch rokoch
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we have focusedzameraný more on EnceladusEnceladus.
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sme sa zamerali viac na Enceladus.
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We'veSme flownletecky the CassiniCassini SpacecraftKozmická loď
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So sondou Cassini sme preleteli
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by this moonmesiac now severalniekoľko timesdoba,
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okolo tohto mesiaca niekoľkokrát.
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flyinglietanie closerbližšie and deeperhlbšie into these jetstrysky,
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Lietali sme bližšie a hlbšie do tých výtryskov,
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into the denserhustejšie regionsregióny of these jetstrysky,
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do ich hustejších oblastí,
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so that now we have come away with some
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takže teraz môžme informovať
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very precisepresný compositionalkompozičné measurementsmeranie.
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o veľmi presných meraniach ich zloženia.
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And we have foundnájdených
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A zistili sme,
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that the organicorganický compoundszlúčeniny comingPrichádza from this moonmesiac
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že organické zlúčeniny pochádzajúce z tohto mesiaca
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are in factskutočnosť more complexkomplexné than we previouslyskôr reportedhlásených.
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sú v skutočnosti zložitejšie, ako sme oznámili minule.
02:05
While they're not aminoamino acidskyselín,
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Aj keď to nie sú aminokyseliny,
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we're now findingnález things like
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nachádzame teraz veci ako
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propanepropán and benzenebenzén,
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propán a benzén,
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hydrogenvodík cyanidekyanid, and formaldehydeformaldehyd.
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kyanovodík a formaldehyd.
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And the tinymaličký watervoda crystalskryštály here
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Jemné kryštáliky vody
02:16
now look for all the worldsvet
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naozaj vyzerajú,
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like they are frozenzmrazený dropletskvapôčky of saltyslané watervoda,
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akoby to boli zamrznuté kvapôčky slanej vody.
02:21
whichktorý is a discoveryobjav that suggestsnavrhne
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Tento objav naznačuje
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that not only do the jetstrysky come from
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nielen to, že výtrysky pochádzajú
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pocketsvrecká of liquidkvapalina watervoda,
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z káps kvapalnej vody,
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but that that liquidkvapalina watervoda is in contactkontakt with rockrock.
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ale aj to, že tá kvapalná voda je v kontakte so skalou.
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And that is a circumstanceokolnosť
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A to je jav,
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that could supplydodávka the chemicalchemický energyenergie
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ktorý by mohol dodávať chemickú energiu
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and the chemicalchemický compoundszlúčeniny neededpotrebný to sustainudržiavať life.
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a chemické zlúčeniny nevyhnutné pre udržanie života.
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So we are very encouragedpodporovať by these resultsvýsledok.
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Takže, sme veľmi povzbudení týmito výsledkami.
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And we are much more confidentistý now than we were two yearsleta agopred
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Sme si omnoho istejší, ako pred dvomi rokmi,
02:43
that we mightsila indeednaozaj
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že vskutku môžme mať
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have on this moonmesiac, underpod the southjuh polepól,
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na tomto mesiaci, pod južným pólom
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an environmentprostredie or a zonezóna that is hospitablepohostinný to livingžijúci organismsorganizmy.
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prostredie, alebo oblasť vyhovujúcu živým organizmom.
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WhetherČi or not there are livingžijúci organismsorganizmy there, of coursekurz,
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Pravdaže, otázka, či tam sú alebo nie sú živé organizmy,
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is an entirelyúplne differentrozdielny matterzáležitosť.
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je niečo úplne iného.
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And that will have to awaitčakajú na the arrivalprílet,
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A s odpoveďou na ňu budeme musieť počakať na prílet sond
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back at EnceladusEnceladus,
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späť k Enceladu
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of the spacecraftskozmické lode, hopefullydúfajme some time in the nearblízkosti futurebudúcnosť,
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dúfajme, niekedy v blízkej budúcnosti,
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specificallyšpecificky equippedvybavený to addressadresa that particularkonkrétny questionotázka.
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ktoré budú špeciálne vybavené, aby zodpovedali túto konkrétnu otázku.
03:09
But in the meantimemedzitým I invitevyzvať you to imaginepredstaviť si the day
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Ale medzitým vás pozývam predstaviť si deň
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when we mightsila journeycesta to the SaturnineMrzutá systemsystém,
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keď uskutočníme cestu k Saturnovmu systému
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and visitnávšteva the EnceladusEnceladus interplanetaryMedziplanetárne geysergejzír parkpark,
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a navštívime medziplanetárny park gejzírov na Encelade,
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just because we can.
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lebo snívať môžme kedykoľvek.
03:21
Thank you.
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Ďakujem
03:23
(ApplausePotlesk)
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(Potlesk)
Translated by Peter Chabada
Reviewed by Lubomir Pajtas

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Carolyn Porco - Planetary scientist
As the leader of the Imaging Team on the Cassini mission to Saturn, Carolyn Porco interprets and shares the pictures coming back from this fascinating planet, its rings and its moons.

Why you should listen

Planetary scientist Carolyn Porco studies and interprets the photos from NASA space missions like the renowned Voyager mission to the outer solar system in the 1980s and the Cassini-Huygens mission to Saturn. She leads a team of scientists from the US and Europe that has been analyzing the images Cassini has sent back since it left Earth in 1997. At Saturn, they have found new phenomena everywhere they've turned their cameras … in the planet’s atmosphere, within its rings and on the surfaces of its many moons. And they've produced spectacular images and animations of these marvels in the process.

Back in the early-1980s, while still working on her doctorate, Porco was drafted onto the Voyager imaging team to assist in crunching the mountains of data coming back from Voyager’s fly-by of Saturn. Her work on the planet's rings and their relation to its moons cemented her connection with Saturn. After Voyager had flown by Neptune and was nearing conclusion, she worked together with Carl Sagan in planning Voyager’s celebrated Pale Blue Dot picture of Earth.

Her ongoing work at the Cassini Imaging Central Laboratory for Operations (CICLOPs) has two goals: to process, interpret and archive Cassini’s images for other scientists, and to make sure the images -- in all their breathtaking poetry and mystery and sheer Save-Image-As-Desktop awesomeness -- connect with the general public. She is an advocate for the exploration and understanding of planetary space, and her frequent talks (as well as her "Captain's Log" memos on the CICLOPS website) speak to everyone, scientist and nonscientist alike. Her advocacy extends to Hollywood, where she was the character consultant on the 1997 movie “Contact,” and a consultant on the 2009 Paramount Pictures re-boot of “Star Trek.” In 2012, she was named one the 25 most influential people in space by TIME magazine.

Finally, in a twist on the Pale Blue Dot theme, it was she who conceived the idea to invite the people of the world to smile while Cassini imaged the Earth on July 19, 2013 in an event called “The Day the Earth Smiled.”

For more information: 

Solar System Portrait: Earth as 'Pale Blue Dot'

BBC: Saturn snapped as Earth smiled

The Atlantic: The Carl Sagan of Our Time Reprises the 'Pale Blue Dot' Photo of Earth

The Day the Earth Smiled: Image

Library of Congress: Portraits of the Solar System: Talking with Carolyn Porco About Carl Sagan  

More profile about the speaker
Carolyn Porco | Speaker | TED.com