Ann Druyan's Cosmic Journey

Cosmos: Possible Worlds writer Ann Druyan details what it will take to get us to Mars.

- Charles Warner

“And what greater might do we possess as human beings than our capacity to question and to learn?”

This is just one of many iconic quotes from writer and director Ann Druyan. A Peabody and Emmy Awardwinner, Druyan is best known for her work on six different New York Times best-sellers, the 1997 film Contact, and the original Cosmos series, all collaborations with her husband Carl Sagan. She also wrote for the 2014 Cosmos revival, as well as its newest iteration, Cosmos: Possible Worlds. The quote also perfectly summarizes the themes of Cosmos, which is itself an exploration of space and science through the lens of human curiosity. In this exclusive interview, Druyan opens up about the incredible discoveries of the past few decades as well as the possibility of life on Mars.

Innovation & Tech Today: When you and Carl [Sagan] worked on the original Cosmos, you spoke about how much our exploration of the heavens would grow with technology and discovery. Now, 40 years later, have we found and learned more than you anticipated?