Sagan, << SAY guhn, >> Carl (1934-1996), was an American astronomer, author, and educator. He gained fame as a leading popularizer of science. Sagan wrote several books, numerous magazine articles, and many scientific papers. He was the chief writer and narrator of “Cosmos,” a popular public television series. The series dealt with a wide variety of scientific issues.
Sagan’s writings reflect his broad interests. In his works, he discussed the nature of the planets and their atmospheres, the origin and evolution of life on the earth, and the possibility of life on other planets. One of his best-known books, The Dragons of Eden (1977), deals with the evolution of the human brain. The book received the 1978 Pulitzer Prize for general nonfiction. Sagan’s other works include The Cosmic Connection (1973), Broca’s Brain (1979), Cosmos (1980), which is based on the television series, and Contact (1985), a novel.
Carl Edward Sagan was born on Nov. 9, 1934, in New York City. He received a Ph.D. degree from the University of Chicago in 1960. In 1968, he became a professor of astronomy and space science at Cornell University. He died on Dec. 20, 1996.
