Founded to find life in our universe

Carl Sagan Institute

The Carl Sagan Institute (CSI) was founded to find life in the universe. Based on the pioneering work of Carl Sagan at Cornell, our interdisciplinary team is developing the forensic toolkit to find life in the universe, inside the Solar System and outside of it, on planets and moons orbiting other stars.

CSI news

Illustration showing a mountain, clouds and nearby rocks spewing vapor

Scientists compile library for evaluating exoplanet water

Cornell scientists are developing a library of basalt-based spectral signatures that not only will help reveal the composition of planets outside of our solar system, but also could demonstrate evidence of water on those exoplanets.

Person in late-70s chic tan sport coat, touching models of planets

‘Cosmos,’ a pulitzer, and more: fascinating facts about Carl Sagan

The astronomer’s legacy can be found on Earth and far beyond—from a record-setting exhibit to an iconic portrait of our planet.

Sagan celebrated for scientific mind – and imagination

In person and online Nov. 9, thousands attended an interdisciplinary program of research presentations and music celebrating Carl Sagan’s legacy, on what would have been his 90th birthday.

Person bending over to sweep a flat grave marker

At Carl Sagan’s gravesite, inspiration endures

On the eve of what would have been Sagan's 90th birthday, well-wishers commune at Lake View Cemetery, leaving notes and trinkets.

An artist's concept of NASA's Europa Clipper spacecraft. NASA/JPL-Caltech

Scientists supporting mission to assess Europa’s habitability

NASA has launched its next flagship science mission, Europa Clipper – the space agency's first dedicated spacecraft mission to study an ocean world beyond Earth – and Cornell scientists will play a role in reporting discoveries about its habitability.

Celebration of Carl Sagan’s 90th birthday being held Nov. 9

On what would have been Carl Sagan's 90th birthday, Cornell’s Carl Sagan Institute will celebrate his legacy in an interdisciplinary day of science, music and more as part of the College of Arts & Sciences’ Arts Unplugged series.

Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger Receives Polar Star Award

"The Austrian Space Forum (OeWF) has awarded Dr. Lisa Kaltenegger the Polar Star Award – the Austrian Space Prize. Gernot Grömer, Director of the Austrian Space Forum awards presented Dr Kaltenegger with the award at a ceremony on Monday 23 September."

Nearly 400 active volcanoes punctuate the Jupiter moon Io. Using flyby data from NASA’s Juno mission that examines the volcanoes, doctoral student Madeline Pettine led a group of Cornell astronomers to study a fundamental process in planetary formation and evolution: tidal heating. NASA/JPL-Caltech/SwRI/MSSS

Volcanoes may help reveal interior heat on Jupiter moon

By examining flyby data from the NASA spacecraft Juno, the astronomers found that Io has active volcanoes at its poles that may help to regulate tidal heating – which causes friction – in its magma interior.

More CSI news

Britney Schmidt: Exploring Earth’s oceans to reach Europa

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Founded to find life in the universe

The Carl Sagan Institute was founded in 2015 at Cornell University to find life in the universe and explore other worlds – how they form, evolve and if they could harbor life both inside and outside of our own Solar System.