Carl Sagan said, “Writing is perhaps the greatest of human inventions, binding together people, citizens of distant epochs, who never knew one another.” His use of the word “epoch” here is meant to imply vast stretches of time, but there is a nuance in the specific definition of “epoch.” In ancient Greek, “epekhein” meant “stop, take up a position,” and “epokhē” was a fixed point in time. In Latin, “epocha” means a date from which succeeding years are numbered (as in 0 CE). One modern usage for “epoch” is to describe spans of time defined by notable events (such as the Renaissance or the Industrial Revolution). Sagan could have used the word “era” or “period” and it would have meant basically the same thing, but he is known for exploring mysteries of the universe on a grand scale. By using “epoch,” perhaps he was implying that writing is bringing together people from entirely different frames of reference for history — BCE to CE and whatever the future may bring.