Carl Sagan and Immanuel Velikovsky by Charles Ginenthal (hardback book)

A Deep Dive into the Battle Between Scientific Orthodoxy and Radical Theory.

In this provocative volume, author Charles Ginenthal examines the legendary confrontation between the world-renowned astronomer Carl Sagan and the controversial catastrophist Immanuel Velikovsky.

Velikovsky's 1950s theories—which suggested that Venus was once a comet that nearly collided with Earth—sent shockwaves through the scientific community. Decades later, at the 1974 AAAS symposium, Carl Sagan famously led the charge to debunk these claims. Ginenthal’s work serves as a detailed rebuttal to Sagan, arguing that the scientific establishment was more interested in "discrediting a heretic" than engaging in objective peer review.