Photo: NASA/JPL / Public domain (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Carl Sagan was born on November 9, 1934 in Brooklyn, New York, United States and was credited as a cosmologist, astrophysicist and novelist. Carl Sagan died on December 20, 1996, aged 62. Education on record includes Rahway High School and University of Chicago. Awards on record include Solstice Award (2013), Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction (1978), Humanist of the Year (1981) and 5 more. Credited works include The Demon-Haunted World, Pale Blue Dot and Cosmos.
My Take
Carl Sagan is one of those rare figures who genuinely changed how I think about my place in the universe — and I mean that without a hint of exaggeration. A Brooklyn kid who went to the University of Chicago and ended up at Cornell, he had this extraordinary gift for making the cosmos feel both vast and weirdly personal. The 1980 Cosmos TV series is still a masterpiece of science communication, and The Demon-Haunted World remains one of the most important books about critical thinking ever written. His novel Contact held up well enough to become a film that people still argue about in a good way. He won the Pulitzer in 1978, consulted on NASA missions from Mariner to Voyager, and somehow never came across as a lecturer — just a genuinely curious person who wanted you to feel the wonder too. Gone too soon at 62, but honestly? The work endures.
This take was written by generative AI, one per person, from publicly reported facts (editorial policy). It is a reading of the record, not reporting.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Carl Sagan
- Name (Japanese)
- カール・セーガン
- Reading
- かーる・せーがん
- Born
- November 9, 1934 – December 20, 1996
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Scorpio / Dog
- Origin
- Brooklyn, New York, United States
- Occupation
- cosmologist / astrophysicist / novelist / planetary scientist / space scientist
2. Background
- High school
- Rahway High School
- University
- University of Chicago
Awards & achievements
- 2013 Solstice Award
- 1978 Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction
- 1981 Humanist of the Year
- James Parks Morton Interfaith Award
- 1993 Carl Sagan Award for Public Understanding of Science
- 1990 Oersted Medal
- 1974 Klumpke-Roberts Award
- 2009 New Jersey Hall of Fame
3. Works & records
Filmography / notable works
| Category | Title |
|---|---|
| Notable work | The Demon-Haunted World |
| Notable work | Pale Blue Dot |
| Notable work | Cosmos |
| Notable work | Contact |
| Notable work | Cosmos: A Personal Voyage |
| Notable work | Broca's Brain: Reflections on the Romance of Science |
4. Links
- Official sitehttps://carlsagan.com
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carl%20Sagan
- Wikipedia (Japanese)https://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E3%82%AB%E3%83%BC%E3%83%AB%E3%83%BB%E3%82%BB%E3%83%BC%E3%82%AC%E3%83%B3
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q410
5. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-02
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Carl Sagan born?
Born November 9, 1934.
When did Carl Sagan die?
Died December 20, 1996, aged 62.
Where was Carl Sagan from?
Carl Sagan was from Brooklyn, New York, United States.
What did Carl Sagan do?
Carl Sagan worked as cosmologist, astrophysicist, novelist, planetary scientist, space scientist.
What was Carl Sagan known for?
Notable works include The Demon-Haunted World, Pale Blue Dot, Cosmos.
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