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...there was something unmistakably attractive about them. They were excellent at what they did and, especially in the discovery process, were utterly absorbed in their work.
— Carl Sagan ‧ Contact
Behind the line May contain spoilers.
Our reading
An editorial interpretation.
The passage finds attraction in people who combine skill with deep absorption in discovery. Their appeal is connected to how fully they inhabit their work, rather than to a separately described appearance. The emphasis on being utterly absorbed makes attention and competence central to the admiration expressed.
Context reviewed