30 phrases by Carl Sagan to contemplate the immensity of the universe

Somewhere, something amazing is waiting to be known.

Given the vastness of time and the immensity of the universe, it gives me immense pleasure to share a planet and an era with you.

What’s scarier? The idea of ​​extraterrestrials in strange worlds, or the idea that, in all this immense universe, we are alone?

If there is no life outside of Earth, then the universe is a huge waste of space.

We are made of stardust.

We are a way for the Cosmos to know itself.

A book is proof that humanity is capable of doing magic.

The first sin of humanity was faith, the first virtue was doubt.

Life is but a momentary view of the wonders of this wondrous universe, and it is sad that so many waste themselves dreaming of spiritual fantasies.

Sometimes I believe there is life on other planets, sometimes I believe there isn’t. In either case, the conclusion is astonishing.

Science is not just compatible with spirituality; it is a deep source of spirituality.

Knowing a lot doesn’t make you smart. Intelligence translates into the way you collect, judge, handle and, above all, where and how you apply this information.

In each and every culture, we imagine the universe to be governed by something like our own political system. Few find the similarity suspect.

It is not possible to convince a believer of anything because his beliefs are not based on evidence, they are based on a deep need to believe.

And if the world does not correspond in all respects to our desires, is it the fault of science or of those who want to impose their desires on the world?

The absence of evidence does not mean evidence of absence.

In a universe that is already 10 or 15 billion years old, we are constantly bumping into surprises.

A god of the gaps is given responsibility for what we do not yet understand.

Space and time are intertwined. We cannot look forward to space without looking back in time.

We are irrevocably on a path that will take us to the stars. Unless, through a monstrous capitulation to selfishness and stupidity, we end up destroying ourselves.

The brain is like a muscle. When we think well, we feel good.

We make our world meaningful by the courage of our questions and the depth of our answers.

Both the insignificant and the extraordinary are architects of the natural world.

There are many hypotheses in science that are wrong. This is perfectly acceptable, they are the opening to finding the right ones.

Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.

Does our generation have to choose what it values ​​most: short-term profits or long-term livability in our planetary home?

Credulity kills.

Our ancestors lived outside. They were as familiar with the night sky as most of us are with our favorite television shows.

I prefer hard truth to consoling fantasy because, on balance, facts often turn out to be more consoling.

The cure for a fallacious argument is not suppression of ideas, but a better argument.