Ah, Carl Sagan. By happy coincidence, I was just getting into being a precocious little know-it-all when Cosmos came out (1980). So, I got to watch each episode, first run. And then I watched them in re-runs over and over. And then I got the book, which covers the same stuff as TV series, but with a bit more depth, and I read it over and over again. And then I was the smartest little ten year old in my class! Sure, as a ten year old, some of it was way over my head, but I did my best to remember as much of it as I could, even if I didn't understand it. For example, I learned that ATP (adenosine tri-phosphate) is the molecule our cells use to store and transmit energy - even though I couldn't make any sense of the reaction diagrams in the book's appendix. I learned about I learned about near-light-speed travel, even though I still can't get my head around relativity. I learned about evolution, astronomy, cosmology, physics, biology, mathematics and history. I learned things from that show that none of my high school or college classes even approached. I can't imagine what I'd be like if it wasn't for Cosmos getting me excited about science. Turtle-necked sweaters will always remind me of Sagan. The book will always be on my bookshelf.