In science, it is rare that a transformational change occurs during our lifetimes.

When we discover New Earth - a planet we could call home - the question of the plurality of worlds will come front and center, reminding us yet again that we are not the center of the universe.

My parents gave me a small telescope, then I built my own, and one thing led to another. So thats how I ended up going from being a hobby astronomer to a professional astronomer.

Deep and elegant explanations relate to natural or social phenomena and the observer often has no place in them.

It feels great to discover a planet, just like any discovery in science, except that it has more of the feel of exploration - you can go back and look at it. However, I can never visit.

Life and the universe compare to each other like a child and a parent, parent and offspring.

We love our planet Earth. We should - it is our home, and there's no place like home. There can't ever be a better place than Earth.

The people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world are the ones who do.

People don't understand what happiness is, so they have an idea of what will make them happy, but it never does.

Strong communities are built around local, real food. Food we trust to nourish our bodies, the farmer and planet.

We are each responsible for all of our experiences.

New York is a city where you're so alone, you're an individual, you can disappear. You can make something happen. But it's very different to make something happen in the art world.

Why is the 'average man' so far below average?

But there was something about you that made me think of sparks and motion.

Elite fundamentalism has always going to be involved with a certain set of conservative interests, but certainly not exclusively Republican.

All that matters is the pressure you put on yourself. External pressures cause people to choke. While you can't control what happens to you, you can control how you react.

By 2020 the U.S. will be short 91,000 doctors. There's no way we can educate enough doctors to make up that shortfall, and other countries are far worse off.