Carl Sagan

"A celibate clergy is an especially good idea, because it tends to suppress any hereditary propensity toward fanaticism. "

"All of the books in the world contain no more information than is broadcast as video in a single large American city in a single year. Not all bits have equal value. "

"But the fact that some geniuses were laughed at does not imply that all who are laughed at are geniuses. They laughed at Columbus, they laughed at Fulton, they laughed at the Wright brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown. "

"I maintain there is much more wonder in science than in pseudoscience. And in addition, to whatever measure this term has any meaning, science has the additional virtue, and it is not an inconsiderable one, of being true. "

"If we long to believe that the stars rise and set for us, that we are the reason there is a Universe, does science do us a disservice in deflating our conceits "

"If you want to make an apple pie from scratch, you must first create the universe. "

"Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere. "

"It is of interest to note that while some dolphins are reported to have learned English -- up to fifty words used in correct context -- no human being has been reported to have learned dolphinese. "

"Skeptical scrutiny is the means, in both science and religion, by which deep insights can be winnowed from deep nonsense. "

"Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known. "

"They laughed at Einstein. They laughed at the Wright Brothers. But they also laughed at Bozo the Clown. "

"We've arranged a civilization in which most crucial elements profoundly depend on science and technology. We have also arranged things so that almost no one understands science and technology. This is a prescription for disaster. We might get away with it for a while, but sooner or later this combustible mixture of ignorance and power is going to blow up in our faces. "

"When you make the finding yourself - even if you're the last person on Earth to see the light - you'll never forget it. "

"Where we have strong emotions, we're liable to fool ourselves. "