The Scientist extends its congratulations to the men and women who will be honored by the National Academy of Sciences next week at the organization's annual meeting. Their achievements and the reasons for this moment of special recognition by the academy are recapped in Neeraja Sankaran's front-page report.
For some of these scientists--those who tend to keep a low profile as they go about their work--such highly visible acclaim may make them uncomfortable. They simply aren't used to the fanfare. For others (astronomer, author, and TV personality Carl Sagan comes immediately to mind), garnering awards and being in the public eye is old hat. But however the individual honorees carry their celebrity, you can bet they're all getting a lot of satisfaction from the recognition. Sagan--as used to stardom as he must be--told Sankaran that he is "delighted" to receive the academy's highest award, which honors his mastery over the ...
