Fans of science fiction literature (or even cinema) should already be familiar with the name of Arthur C. Clarke. After all, this is the man who gave 2001: A Space Odyssey and all its successors to the world.

Clarke passed away today, 19 March 2008, at the age of 90.

Clarke was the unlikely oracle in the science world. He's credited with dreaming up the geostationary satellite (the kind that delivers satellite television or radio to us). He's given us Clarke's three rules of scientific prediction:

1.) When a distinguished but elderly scientist states that something is possible, he is almost certainly right. When he states that something is impossible, he is very probably wrong.
2.) The only way of discovering the limits of the possible is to venture a little way past them into the impossible.
3.) Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.

The third and final of these rules has been quoted and requoted endlessly.

Clarke was an author with few peers. The list of his acolades stretches for miles and includes the rank of Knight Bachelor in the British honours system.

I'd hope that many of you are already familiar enough with the geat contribution of this author to feel the deep sting of his parting as I have. If not, I'd strongly encouage each of you to take this opportunity to discover the works of the man who helped shape both science fiction and science reality.

Rest in peace, Arthur C. Clarke. You will be dearly missed.