Carl Sagan

Carl Sagan (1934 – 1996) was born in Brooklyn, New York City, American, was born in Brooklyn to a Ukrainian Jewish family. He was an astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science populariser, and science communicator in the space and natural sciences. During his lifetime, he published more than 600 scientific papers and popular articles and was author, co-author, or editor of more than 20 books. In his works, he advocated sceptical inquiry and the scientific method. He pioneered exobiology and promoted the Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI).Sagan became world-famous for his popular science books and for the award-winning 1980 television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which he narrated and co-wrote. A book to accompany the program was also published. Sagan also wrote the novel Contact, the basis for the 1997 film of the same name.

Carl Sagan was awarded the Nahum Goldmann medal in 1986. The Medal is awarded by the WJC to distinguished persons for their contribution to universal humanitarian causes and actions benefiting the Jewish people.