Wednesday March 19, 2008

Writer Arthur C. Clarke dies at 90

news.yahoo.com :

Pioneering science fiction writer and visionary Arthur C. Clarke, best known for his work on the movie "2001: A Space Odyssey," has died in his adopted home of Sri Lanka at the age of 90. He died of respiratory complications and heart failure doctors linked to the post-polio syndrome that had kept him wheelchair-bound for years. Marking his "90th orbit of the sun" in December, the prolific British-born author and theorist made three birthday wishes: For E.T. to call, for man to kick his oil habit and for peace in Sri Lanka.

Clarke was born in England on December 16, 1917. He was one of the first to suggest the use of satellites orbiting the earth for communications, and in the 1940s forecast that man would reach the moon by the year 2000. When Neil Armstrong landed in 1969, the United States said Clarke "provided the essential intellectual drive that led us to the moon." Clarke wrote around 100 books and hundreds of short stories and articles, and wanted to be remembered foremost as a writer. Trained as a scientist, he was renowned for basing his work on scientific fact and theory rather than pure fiction and for keeping humanity at the heart of his technological visions.

He had also been working on the idea of a "space elevator." "The golden age of space is only just beginning," Clarke forecast. "Over the next 50 years, thousands of people will travel to earth orbit and then to the moon and beyond. Space travel and space tourism will one day become almost as commonplace as flying to exotic destinations on our own planet."

- RIP Arthur C. Clarke. I have read many of your books. You were a great inspiration. I look forward to space-based solar power as well as the space elevators that are required to construct them that, if built, will eventually put an end to our fossil fuel addiction.

(2008-03-19 13:33:43 SGT) [Musings] Permalink

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