The 30 best quotes by Carl Sagan (universe, life and science)
A collection of famous quotes from the best science popularizer of all time.
A unique and unrepeatable character who brought the universe closer to our televisions. Carl Sagan (1934 - 1996) was an American astrophysicist, astronomer and science communicator. who, for decades, dedicated himself to explaining in simple terms all the mysteries surrounding the cosmos.
He was also a pioneer in the search for extraterrestrial life and his contributions were applauded by both the scientific community and television viewers.
Carl Sagan's phrases, the science popularizer par excellence.
His contributions to science were widely applauded, so much so that in 1978 he won a Pullitzer Prize for his extraordinary informative work.
In this article we have compiled the best Carl Sagan's phrases, quotes and thoughts..
1. Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be discovered.
A famous quote by Carl Sagan that shows us his explorer spirit.
2. Each of us is a precious thing, in a cosmic perspective. If someone disagrees with your opinions, let him live. In a trillion galaxies, you would not find another like him.
We must realize what a miracle it is to be able to experience life.
3. The nitrogen in our DNA, the calcium in our teeth, the iron in our blood, the carbon in apple pies... all were created inside stars that collided with each other. We are made from the material of stars.
A revelation that, in Carl Sagan's mouth, sounds even more exciting.
4. Science is not only compatible with spirituality, it is a profound source of spirituality.
A famous quote by Carl Sagan that sounds like a paradox.
5. In my opinion, it is far better to understand the universe as it is than to persist in deception, however comfortable it may be.
To know the truth even if it is uncomfortable, or to live a lie? Carl Sagan has a clear answer.
6. An extraordinary claim requires extraordinary evidence.
In the face of great scientific challenges, great means to be able to investigate in depth.
7. Imagination takes us to worlds we have never been to.
A great scholar of creativity and the thinking mind, Sagan placed great emphasis on our ability to imagine new worlds.
8. We are like butterflies that fly for a day thinking they will fly forever.
We must keep in mind that our time is limited. Brilliant poetic phrase by Carl Sagan.
9. Reading allows us to travel through time, to touch with our fingertips the wisdom of our ancestors.
A reflection that we could include in our compilation of phrases extracted from books.
10. We can judge progress by the courage of the questions and the depth of the answers; by the boldness of finding the truth rather than by rejoicing in what makes us feel good.
A way of telling the world that science leads to knowledge.
11. The universe is a pretty big place. If there were only us, it would seem to me a real waste of space.
An ironic reflection that leaves the door open to the possibility of life beyond Earth.
12. The military race with nuclear weapons is like two enemies facing each other with cans of gasoline and fire.
The critical vision of the scientific popularizer towards the military movements of the United States.
13. I don't want to believe, I want to know.
Sagan's scientific skepticism is expressed in this sentence.
14. The beauty of life does not refer to the atoms that compose it, but to the way in which these atoms are put together.
Beauty is in the little things: as small as atoms.
15. It is interesting to know that some dolphins have managed to learn English (up to 50 words used in the right context), and yet no human being has managed to learn 'dolphinese'.
Scathing as always, in this sentence he questions the "superior" intelligence that we humans attribute to ourselves.
16. The universe seems neither hostile nor friendly, it is simply indifferent.
Sagan thus reflects on the appearance of the cosmos.
17. The absence of evidence does not mean the proof of the absence.
A paradox that brings us closer to his skepticism.
18. Science is a way of thinking, and not so much an aggregate of knowledge.
One of those philosophical phrases that invite us to take a reflective position before reality.
19. Extinction is the rule. Survival is the exception.
So it is, and so Charles Darwin explained it to us.
20. If something can be destroyed by the truth, it deserves to be destroyed.
Never accept a half-truth as dogma.
21. In all our research, the one thing we have discovered is that only the company of others makes emptiness bearable.
Only love comforts us in a universe full of dangers and randomness.
22. You must know the past to understand the present.
This phrase is a cliché of historiography.
23. Books break the shackles of time, they show that humans can do magic.
A way to cross generational and cultural barriers: literature.
24. Nature is always more subtle, more complex and more elegant than we are able to imagine.
And it always finds the perfect way to keep evolving.
25. Understanding is a form of ecstasy.
When we are able to understand a concept or a process, we feel exceptionally good.
26. Books are like seeds. They can lie dormant for centuries, and suddenly blossom in the barrenest soil.
An excellent metaphor.
27. Atoms are basically empty space. Matter is composed mainly of nothingness.
Astrophysics always keeps this principle in mind.
28. Across the cosmos, stars look like other suns.
The size of the stars is a simple matter of perspective.
29. An organism that is at war with itself is doomed.
Another phrase that reflects the thesis of the Evolution of the species.
30. We live in a society extremely dependent on science and technology, in which almost nobody has a minimum of notions about science and technology.
Another fantastic quote by Carl Sagan that shows us the paradox of modern life, in the purest Huxley style.
(Updated at Apr 13 / 2024)