E.T., Phone NASA

Superstar astronomer Carl Sagan was convinced that given the sheer size of the universe, it might be a good bet that there was intelligent life somewhere beyond this planet. Now NASA is seeking to test that theory with a series of scholarships issued in the name of the late scientist.

The new Carl Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowships in Exoplanet Exploration will provide $60,000 per year, for up to three years, to selected scientists. Exoplanets are planets that have been found to exist outside our solar system. More than 300 currently have been identified.

NASA already awards the Einstein Postdoctoral Fellowship in Physics of the Cosmos and the Hubble Postdoctoral Fellowship in Cosmic Origins.