31 Quotes by Nick Sagan

American sci-fi has fallen into the doldrums in part because of the anti-science sentiment that's so prevalent in our culture lately.

British and Canadian sci-fi strikes me as more forward-looking than its American counterpart, as evidenced by the success of Iain M. Banks, Charlie Stross, Robert Charles Wilson, and Cory Doctorow.

We have not been asking the serious questions about the future of our species, questions sci-fi regularly explores by showing us the best and worst of what could be.

Beyond 'Contact,' I think there's something compelling about 'District 9.'

Human divisions would be child's play for any reasonably competent alien overlord to exploit - check the masterful 'Twilight Zone' episode 'The Monsters Are Due on Maple Street' for an example of how that might play out.

We're so bitterly divided these days, the appearance of a true 'other' might be the best chance of bringing us all together.

'Life in space is impossible,' we're warned, and amidst the hypnotic beauty of these heavens, we become painfully aware of what a hostile environment space is, how unforgiving, how unsympathetic to human desires.

Bringing the astronaut's nightmare to life so vividly is a remarkable accomplishment but Alfonso and Jonas Cuaron want more than just the adrenaline ride - they're feeding our wonder and inviting us to think deeply about profound questions of existence.

I think of 'Shrapnel' as the anti-'Star Trek.'