“Some asteroids have us in their sights. Be nice to sort of go near them and find out what they're made of, possibly tag their ears so they're always broadcasting to us their location. In case one of their trajectories head straight for us, we'll know well in advance to do something about it.”

American astrophysicist and science communicator of the late 20th and early 21st centuries, he bridges complex cosmic concepts for broad audiences. His work on the Cosmos television series and public lectures makes astronomy accessible, while his writings and media appearances champion evidence-based reasoning and critical thinking.