WASHINGTON (AP) — The Library of Congress has acquired the personal papers of the late astronomer Carl Sagan thanks to the generosity of Seth MacFarlane, creator of the TV series “Family Guy” creator.
MacFarlane is a longtime admirer of Sagan and an advocate for space exploration. He met Sagan’s widow a few years ago and is producing a follow-up to Sagan’s acclaimed 1980 miniseries, “Cosmos,” which introduced a mass audience to the mysteries of the universe.
While MacFarlane never owned Sagan’s papers, he covered the costs of donating them to the Library of Congress.
The papers include correspondence with other scientists, drafts of Sagan’s academic work and screenplay drafts for the movie “Contact,” which was based on Sagan’s novel. His grade-school report cards are also part of the collection.
