There is no other species on Earth that does science. It is, so far, entirely a human invention, evolved by natural selection in the cerebral cortex for one simple reason: it works. It is not perfect. It can be misused. It is only a tool. But it is by far the best tool we have, self-correcting, ongoing, applicable to everything.

We are star stuff which has taken its destiny into its own hands.

In the fabric of space and in the nature of matter, as in a great work of art, there is, written small, the artist's signature.

If you want to make a [rhubarb] pie from scratch, first you have to create the universe.

Observation: I can't see a thing. Conclusion: Dinosaurs.

The hole in the ozone layer is a kind of skywriting. At first it seemed to spell out our continuing complacency before a witch's brew of deadly perils. But perhaps it really tells of a newfound talent to work together to protect the global environment.

Human history can be viewed as a slowly dawning awareness that we are members of a larger group.