Contents
Carl Sagan
Bringing astronomy into ordinary homes through Cosmos and exploring the possibility of life beyond Earth.
Voyager Golden Record · Cosmos
- Born
- 9 November 1934
- Birthplace
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Died
- 20 December 1996
More people
Carl Sagan
An astronomer, planetary scientist and writer who connected space research with public explanation. He worked on planetary missions while arguing for evidence, curiosity and care for Earth.
Early life
Brooklyn childhood
Developed an early fascination with stars and the possibility of other worlds.
Chicago education
Studied at the University of Chicago, completing a doctorate in astronomy and astrophysics in 1960.
Career
- 1960s
Planetary research
Investigated planetary atmospheres and contributed to NASA missions.
- 1968
Cornell
Joined Cornell, where he directed the Laboratory for Planetary Studies.
- 1980
Cosmos
Co-wrote and presented the television series.
- 1990s
Public science
Continued writing about scepticism, space and humanity’s future.
Contributions
Voyager Golden Record
Chaired the team selecting sounds and images to accompany the spacecraft.
Cosmos
Combined cosmic history with the history of scientific discovery.
Pale Blue Dot
Reflected on Earth’s place in the universe.
Beyond astronomy
Nuclear danger
Warned about nuclear war and studied its possible climatic consequences.
Creative partnership
Collaborated with writer Ann Druyan, whom he married in 1981.
Sources & photo credit
Life, career and references ↗Photo: NASA/JPL. Public domain · Original image. Cropped and displayed in monochrome.
