Arthur C. Clarke dies age 90

Arthur C. Clarke, prominent science fiction author and one of the most visionary minds of our century, has died today aged 90. Arthur C. Clarke died in hospital care in Sri Lanka this morning according to reports from the BBC.

Clarke was well known for his science fiction works which included the likes of the hugely influential 2001: A Space Odyssey and The Songs of Distant Earth, but was also an early pioneer of satellite communication. Clarke is credited with being the first person to conceptualise geostationary communication satellites and has therefore had a huge and lasting impact on the way people communicate.

Clarke was born the son of a farmer in Somerset in 1917 and enjoyed a long and prolific position as one of the forefathers of science fiction, having published many novels and helping to push forward the development of radar technologies during World War II.

Having originally written stories for comic books before moving to full-length novels, Clarke was acknowledged by Gene Roddenberry as the major inspiration for the first series of Star Trek. He is survived by Clarke's Law, which states that "Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."

Speaking at his 90th birthday last year, Clarke told fans that he wanted to be remembered most as a writer capable of stretching the imagination.

"If I have given you delight in all that I have done, let me lie quiet in that night, which shall be yours anon."

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