One of the most famous U.S. scientists of this century and an outspoken critic of claims of the paranormal. He earned a degree in physics from the University of Chicago in 1954, received his Ph.D. in astronomy and astrophysics in 1960, and taught at Harvard before moving to Cornell where he became Director of the Laboratory for Planetary Studies.
Sagan’s influence extended outside the science com¬ munity. He wrote, co-authored, or edited 29 books, some with his wife Ann Druyan, many written for the general reader. Among the best known of these is Cosmos (1981), based on his 1980 television series. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Literature in 1978 for The Dragons of Eden: Speculations on the Evolution of Human Intelligence and the Joseph Priestley Award “for distinguished contributions to the welfare of mankind.” The National Academy of Sciences gave him its highest award in 1994.