“When I wake up I go through an abbreviated process of mourning all over again. Plainly, there’s something within me that’s ready to believe in life after death. And it’s not the least bit interested in whether there’s any sober evidence for it.”

American astronomer and science communicator of the mid-to-late 20th century, Carl Sagan made complex cosmic concepts accessible to the public through his books and television series. He championed scientific skepticism and the search for extraterrestrial life, blending rigor with poetic clarity to inspire wonder about humanity’s place in the universe.