Carl Sagan, the astronomer and writer, would have turned 90 today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When I was seven, I watched Cosmos<\/i> on PBS with my dad. In many ways, I credit my atheism to this formative experience. (Also formative, the Ichthus Christian music festival<\/a>, but that doesn’t have anything to do with Sagan.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sagan died in December 1996, while my dad was in the hospital in Lynchburg following his heart attack. The cardio-thoracic surgeon said the bypass was good for ten years; he’s still kicking to this day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As I said, Sagan would have turned 90 today. I wonder what he would make of these times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Make (or buy) an apple pie in his honor. Remember, you and the apples are made of starstuff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n