On this day in 1996, famed astronomer and public figure Carl Sagan passed away. Sagan was a talented researcher and was responsible for the Voyager Golden Record that was launched into space, containing messages intended for any aliens who might come across it. But he’s probably best known for his work explaining the sciences to the public.
Sagan was a space obsessive. Born in 1934, from his childhood he was addicted to science fiction. That led him to an interest in astronomy, which his parents encouraged. He went on to earn degrees in physics, astronomy, and astrophysics at the University of Chicago.
He became a consultant for NASA when the Apollo program was getting off the ground, including briefing the astronauts before launch. He also helped design landers to withstand the difficult conditions of Venus, Mars, and Titan.
Sagan was most famous for his popular writing. He penned hundreds of articles and dozens of books, at one point winning a Pulitzer Prize. He also hosted a TV show, Cosmos, that remains popular and well-respected by scientists. It was viewed by over 500 million people.
After a long career also including work at Harvard University and Cornell University, he passed away from the bone marrow disease myelodysplasia in 1996 at the age of 62.
For more on Sagan, check out this article at the American Museum of Natural History.
