To mark the 30th anniversary of the death of Carl Sagan, one of the world’s best-known astronomers, scientists and science communicators, the European Astrobiology Institute is launching an international initiative, Carl Sagan Month, taking place from November 20 to December 20, 2026. The initiative aims to celebrate Sagan’s scientific and cultural legacy, bring contemporary scientific research closer to the wider public, and inspire interest in astronomy, astrobiology and the search for life in the universe.
As part of this international initiative, the Palace of Science will host Sagan Frontiers: Carl Sagan Month in Serbia 2026, a programme of four public lectures exploring our place in the cosmos, the possibility of life beyond Earth, the responsibility that comes with scientific knowledge, and the importance of critical thinking.
The programme at the Palace of Science features four lectures:
- COSMOS – Where Are We? (November 20)
- LIFE – Are We Alone? (November 27)
- THE PALE BLUE DOT – What Do We Do with What We Know? (December 4)
- THE CANDLE IN THE DARK – The War of Pseudoscientists and Anti-Scientists Against Science (December 10)
Organised by the Institute of Physics Belgrade and the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade, in collaboration with the European Astrobiology Institute and the Europlanet network, the programme connects current research in astronomy, astrobiology, planetary science and artificial intelligence with Sagan’s legacy and his unique ability to make complex scientific ideas accessible to everyone.
The initiative also provides an opportunity for researchers and students from Serbia to connect with the European and international scientific community. Through science, dialogue and critical reflection, Sagan Frontiers invites us to rediscover the importance of curiosity, openness to new knowledge and the responsibility we all share for the world we live in.
The Palace of Science - Miodrag Kostić Endowment, the Institute of Physics Belgrade and the Astronomical Observatory of Belgrade (https://www.ipb.ac.rs/sagan-frontiers/, http://servo.aob.rs/sagan-frontiers/) are jointly organising a programme of four public lectures at the Palace of Science from 20 November to 10 December 2026. The programme is part of an international initiative by the European Astrobiology Institute (EAI, https://europeanastrobiology.eu/) and is organised in collaboration with Europlanet (https://www.europlanet.org/).