Carl Sagan was an American astronomer, cosmologist, astrophysicist, and author. He is best known for his work on the television series Cosmos: A Personal Voyage, which popularized astronomy and natural science. He was also a professor of astronomy and space sciences at Cornell University. Sagan's research focused on the study of planets, stars, galaxies, and the origin of life. He was a strong advocate for the scientific method and was a vocal critic of pseudoscience. He wrote several books, including The Cosmic Connection and Pale Blue Dot. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Non-Fiction in 1978 for his book The Dragons of Eden. Sagan was also a recipient of the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal.