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| Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90 | Writer Arthur C Clarke dies at 90 |
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| British science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has died in Sri Lanka at the age of 90. | British science fiction writer Sir Arthur C Clarke has died in Sri Lanka at the age of 90. |
| Born in Somerset, he came to fame in 1968 when a short story The Sentinel was made into the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by director Stanley Kubrick. | Born in Somerset, he came to fame in 1968 when a short story The Sentinel was made into the film 2001: A Space Odyssey by director Stanley Kubrick. |
| Once called "the first dweller in the electronic cottage", his vision of future space travel and computing captured the popular imagination. | Once called "the first dweller in the electronic cottage", his vision of future space travel and computing captured the popular imagination. |
| A close aide said he died after a cardio-respiratory attack. | A close aide said he died after a cardio-respiratory attack. |
| 'Vision' | 'Vision' |
| Sir Arthur's vivid - and detailed - descriptions of space shuttles, super-computers and rapid communications systems were enjoyed by millions of readers around the world. | Sir Arthur's vivid - and detailed - descriptions of space shuttles, super-computers and rapid communications systems were enjoyed by millions of readers around the world. |
| He was the author of more than 100 fiction and non-fiction books, and his writings are credited by many observers with giving science fiction a human and practical face. | He was the author of more than 100 fiction and non-fiction books, and his writings are credited by many observers with giving science fiction a human and practical face. |
| In the 1940s Clarke maintained man would reach the moon by the year 2000, an idea then dismissed. | In the 1940s Clarke maintained man would reach the moon by the year 2000, an idea then dismissed. |
| A farmer's son, he was educated at Huish's Grammar School in Taunton before joining the civil service. | A farmer's son, he was educated at Huish's Grammar School in Taunton before joining the civil service. |
| During World War II, Clarke volunteered for the Royal Air Force, where he worked in the then highly-secretive development of radar. | |
| I was very fond of him indeed. A man of integrity, a man of vision, a man you could trust Sir Patrick Moore Obituary of Arthur C Clarke class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=4496&edition=1">Send us your comments | |
| British astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore, had known Sir Arthur since they met as teenagers at the British Interplanetary Society. | British astronomer, Sir Patrick Moore, had known Sir Arthur since they met as teenagers at the British Interplanetary Society. |
| "He was ahead of his time in so many ways," Sir Patrick said. | "He was ahead of his time in so many ways," Sir Patrick said. |
| "Quite apart from artificial satellites there were other things too. A great science fiction writer, a very good scientist, a great prophet and a very dear friend, I'm very, very sad that he's gone." | "Quite apart from artificial satellites there were other things too. A great science fiction writer, a very good scientist, a great prophet and a very dear friend, I'm very, very sad that he's gone." |
| He paid tribute to his friend, remembering him as "a very sincere person" with "a strong sense of humour". | He paid tribute to his friend, remembering him as "a very sincere person" with "a strong sense of humour". |
| Future thinker | Future thinker |
| George Whitesides, the executive director of the National Space Society, on which Sir Arthur served on the board of governors, said his enthusiasm "was what I think made him so popular in many ways". | George Whitesides, the executive director of the National Space Society, on which Sir Arthur served on the board of governors, said his enthusiasm "was what I think made him so popular in many ways". |
| "He was always thinking about what could come next but also about how life could be improved in the future. | "He was always thinking about what could come next but also about how life could be improved in the future. |
| "It's a vision that I think we could use more of today." | "It's a vision that I think we could use more of today." |
| After a failed marriage Sir Arthur moved to Sri Lanka, then called Ceylon, in 1956, where he lived with a business partner and his family, and pursued his interest in scuba-diving. | |
| His status as the grand old man of science fiction was threatened when, in 1998, allegations of child abuse, which he strenuously denied, caused the confirmation of a knighthood to be delayed. | His status as the grand old man of science fiction was threatened when, in 1998, allegations of child abuse, which he strenuously denied, caused the confirmation of a knighthood to be delayed. |
| Although cleared by an investigation, Sir Arthur's unconventional lifestyle continued to cause some raised eyebrows. | |
| From 1995, the author was largely confined to a wheelchair, suffering from post-polio syndrome. |