Sagan

Sagan is a surname best known for Carl Sagan, an American astronomer, astrophysicist, author, and science communicator (1934–1996). He popularized science through books and television and helped shape public interest in space exploration and the search for extraterrestrial life.

Born in New York City in 1934 to a Jewish family of Polish descent, Sagan studied physics at the University of Chicago, earning a B.S. in physics in 1955 and a Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics in 1960. He joined Cornell University as a professor of astronomy and directed the Laboratory for Planetary Studies. He contributed to several NASA missions and helped design the Voyager Golden Record and the Arecibo message. He co-founded The Planetary Society in 1980.

Sagan gained broad acclaim for Cosmos, a 1980 television documentary series and companion book that made complex scientific ideas accessible to a wide audience and earned multiple Emmy Awards. He authored popular science works such as The Dragons of Eden (1977) and the novel Contact (1985), which was adapted into a film. He was a prominent advocate for the search for extraterrestrial intelligence and the ongoing exploration of the solar system and beyond.

Sagan’s work fostered public engagement with astronomy and space science, influencing generations of scientists and science communicators. He died in 1996 of pneumonia, following a bout with myelodysplastic syndrome. His legacy persists in the ongoing work of the Planetary Society, continued public interest in space, and numerous educational resources and memorials named in his honor.