Carl Sagan: podcast appearances and interviews

Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, and science communicator. He served as an assistant professor at Harvard University before moving to Cornell University, where he held the position of David Duncan Professor of Astronomy and Space Sciences and directed the Laboratory for Planetary Studies. Sagan contributed to notable space missions including the Mariner, Viking, and Voyager programs, and published over 600 scientific papers and articles. His popular science works began with The Cosmic Connection and include the bestselling book The Dragons of Eden, which earned him the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction. Sagan co-wrote and narrated the acclaimed 1980 documentary series Cosmos A Personal Voyage, which reached an audience of at least 500 million people across 60 countries and received two Emmy Awards as well as a Peabody Award. He was a passionate science fiction fan, with his novel Contact adapted into a film. Sagan was a founding member and the first president of the Planetary Society. He proposed the Pale Blue Dot photograph of Earth taken by Voyager 1 and contributed to the development of messages intended for potential extraterrestrial intelligences such as the Arecibo message, Pioneer plaques, and Voyager Golden Record. An advocate of skepticism and scientific inquiry, Sagan popularized the scientific method and critical thinking, famously stating that extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence. Throughout his career, he received numerous awards including the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal and the National Academy of Sciences Public Welfare Medal. Sagan passed away in 1996 at the age of 62 after developing myelodysplasia.