Alive Quote by Carl Sagan
“Since, in the long run, every planetary civilization will be endangered by impacts from space, every surviving civilization is obliged to become spacefaring--not because of exploratory or romantic zeal, but for the most practical reason imaginable: staying alive... If our long-term survival is at stake, we have a basic responsibility to our species to venture to other worlds.”
About This Quote
Source Book: Cosmos, 1980
Spacefaring is essential for civilization’s long‑term survival, not for romance but practical necessity.
In simple terms: Space travel is a survival strategy.
Key Takeaway
Invest in space exploration for humanity’s future.
Themes
space
survival
future
technology
Mood
inspirational
urgent
Type
scientific
philosophical
When to use this quote
- space policy
- planetary defense
- interstellar research
Key Concepts
existential risk
civilizational resilience
Questions to Reflect On
- What risks justify space investment?
- How to balance Earth and space priorities?
A Different Perspective
Space costs and political will are barriers.
![“[ When a religious couple wrote to Sagan about fulfilled prophecies, he wrote back in May 1996 :] If ‘fulfilled prophecy’ is your criterion, why do you not believe in materialistic science, which has an unparalleled record of fulfilled prophecy? Consider, for example, eclipses.” quote by Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/875/carl-sagan-160_belief_when-a-religious-couple-wrote-to-sagan-a_25095.jpg)
