\nin Space and the National Space Society, both of which advocate
\npeaceful use of space technology."<\/strong><\/p>\n
CBC: Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke dies at 90<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Arthur C. Clarke, author of 2001: A Space Odyssey<\/em> and a man considered one of the world’s top science fiction writers, has died.<\/p>\n He was 90. An aide announced his death Tuesday in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he had lived since 1956.<\/p>\n He died at 1:30 a.m. after suffering breathing problems, aide Rohan De Silva said.<\/p>\n Clarke had battled debilitating post-polio syndrome since the 1960s and sometimes used a wheelchair.<\/p>\n He enjoyed the diving in Sri Lanka, saying it was close as he could get to the weightlessness of space.<\/p>\n "I’m perfectly operational underwater," he once said.<\/p>\n A scientist whose work helped lead to the creation of modern While making real advancements in technical applications, Clarke was Clarke was the author of The City and the Stars, Childhood’s End<\/em> and 2010,<\/em> a sequel to A Space Odyssey<\/em>, which was made into a movie by Stanley Kubrick.<\/p>\n With Isaac Asimov and Robert A. Heinlein, he was considered one of the "Big Three" of science fiction.<\/p>\n His fiction predicted space travel before rockets were even test Clarke was born into a British farm family in Somerset on Dec. 16, 1917.<\/p>\n As a boy, he spent much time stargazing and he studied the space sciences after moving to London in 1936.<\/p>\n He joined the British Interplanetary Society (BIS) and started to His only non-science-fiction work, Glide Path,<\/em> was based on his radar work.<\/p>\n After the war, he became president of the BIS and published his He finished his degree in physics and mathematics at King’s College in London in 1948.<\/p>\n He began working with U.S. scientists and engineers on the At the same time, he was writing books and short stories, publishing his first story, Rescue Party,<\/em> in Astounding Science in May 1946.<\/p>\n In 1948, he wrote The Sentinel,<\/em> the story that would be the basis for 2001: A Space Odyssey<\/em>, Three of his novels advanced the theme that humanity is the property In 1964, he started to work with Kubrick on the script for 2001,<\/em> and in 1968, they shared the Oscar nomination for the screenplay.<\/p>\n He published the sequel, 2010: Odyssey Two<\/em> in 1985 and worked with Peter Hyams on the movie version.<\/p>\n In television, Clarke worked alongside Walter Cronkite and Wally He also hosted a 13-part 1981 TV series, Arthur C. Clarke’s Mysterious World,<\/em> that investigated unexplained phenomena and mysteries around the world, followed up by Arthur C. Clarke’s World of Strange Powers<\/em> in 1984.<\/p>\n He also served on the boards of the Institute of Cooperation in He was vice-president of the H.G. Wells Society, dedicated to another British science fiction writer.<\/p>\n He earned a British knighthood in 2000 and a science fiction writing award has been named after him.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
![\"Arthur](\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/gfx\/images\/arts\/photos\/2008\/03\/18\/clarke-arthur-c-cp-1244857.jpg\")
Arthur C. Clarke laughs outside his home in Colombo, Sri Lanka, in 2000. <\/em>
\n(Gemunu Amarasinghe\/Associated Press) <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nsatellite systems and early space exploration, his work bridged art and
\nscience.<\/p>\n
\na vocal advocate of peaceful use of space technology and his fiction
\nimagined a more advanced form of mankind.<\/p>\nGrouped among sci-fi ‘Big 3’<\/h2>\n
\nfired and foretold computers wreaking havoc with modern life. Clarke
\nwas a lone voice of dissent when the world feared that the Y2K bug
\nwould lead to mayhem in 2000.<\/p>\n
\nwrite science fiction, but was interrupted by the Second World War. He
\njoined the Royal Air Force, where he became involved with experimental
\ntrials for radar.<\/p>\n\n
![\"Arthur](\"http:\/\/www.cbc.ca\/gfx\/images\/arts\/photos\/2008\/03\/18\/clarke-arthur-c-cp-2927433.jpg\")
Arthur C. Clarke, photographed in his home library in 2007, had post-polio syndrome, and so used a wheelchair.<\/em>
\n(Gemunu Amarasinghe\/Associated Press) <\/em><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
\nlandmark technical paper "Extra-terrestrial Relays," in which he first
\nset out the principles of satellite communication using geostationary
\nsatellites.<\/p>\n
\ndevelopment of spacecraft and launch systems and in the 1950s he worked
\nwith the U.S. Weather Bureau to develop satellite applications for
\nweather forecasting.<\/p>\n
\nfor a BBC competition. He lost, but the story introduced the mystical
\nand cosmic elements that would be his hallmark as a writer.<\/p>\n
\nof an ancient alien civilization and that aliens will help mankind
\nevolve to be higher species.<\/p>\nKnighted in 2000<\/h2>\n
\nSchirra for the CBS coverage of the 1969 Apollo 12 and 1971 Apollo 15
\nspace missions.<\/p>\n
\nSpace and the National Space Society, both of which advocate peaceful
\nuse of space technology.<\/strong><\/p>\n