If people don’t have an understanding of what science is and what scientists do, then they can tend to think that global warming, for example, is just a matter of opinion.

When we look out into space, we are looking into our own origins, because we are truly children of the stars.

Skepticism must go hand in hand with rationality. When theories are shown to be false, the correct thing to do is to move on.

We are the cosmos made conscious and life is the means by which the universe understands itself.

Feudal societies don't create great cinema; we have great theatre. The egalitarian societies create great cinema. The Americans, the French. Because equality is sort of what the cinema deals with. It deals with stories which don't fall into 'Everybody in their place and who's who,' and all that. But the theatre's full of that.

Climate change: Don't undermine the science just because you don't like the economics

Look at that! If you ever needed convincing that we live in the solar system, that we are on a ball of rock, orbiting around the Sun with other balls of rock, then look at that! That's the solar system coming down and grabbing you by the throat.