Trollin’ posted a link to Bloomberg’s report on the death on March 18 in Sri Lanka of Arthur C. Clarke, scientist (member of the British Interplanetary Society) and author, including the book and screenplay for the revolutionary 2001: A Space Odyssey. Apollo 13′s Command Module and the 2001 Mars Orbiter were named Odyssey, in honor of Clarke.
I can’t remember if it was the first time I read Clarke, but I do recall an outstanding short story in Boys Life (the magazine of Boy Scouting in the USA) involving extraplanetary races involving small craft employing huge solar sails. And of course, starting as a pre-teen, I devoured Clarke’s works, along with those of his lifelong friends and colleagues, Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, the holy trinity of science-fiction writing in the 20th Century.
Of course, Clarke’s true visionary nature was validated with the establishment of satellites in geostationary orbits (positioned over a fixed point on Earth).
The world will miss this gentle man.
If we have learned one thing from the history of invention and discovery, it is that, in the long run – and often in the short one -the most daring prophecies seem laughably conservative. – Sir Arthur C. Clarke, 1917 – 2008
I feel like my uncle just died. I’m sad because I won’t have the pleasure anymore of being with him, however vicariously, through one of his stories and I’m happy – that he lived such a long, rich life. I miss him already…
Well-put, Baila. Every time I ever saw an interview with him, I always wanted more.
[...] C. and me I just found out from Kes that Arthur C. Clarke died. I was surprised to find myself crying. I didn’t realize how much [...]