On March 19, 2008, Arthur C. Clarke passed away at the age of 90. He was an internationally renowned author, best known for his science fiction works such as Tales from the White Hart, 1951’s The Nine Billion Names of God, and, of course, 1968’s landmark novel 2001: A Space Odyssey. Clarke was born in England in 1917 and developed a love of science and literature early on. He joined the British military during World War II and afterwards pursued a career in science and writing. He wrote and published more than 100 books and stories, and was awarded many prestigious awards, including the 1981 Prince of Asturias Award for Literature and the 1982 Kalinga Prize by UNESCO. In addition to being an acclaimed author, Clarke was a futurist, as well as a science and space exploration advocate. He was a founding member of the British Interplanetary Society and helped lay the foundation of the space exploration and satellite communication we enjoy today. Despite his fame, Clarke chose to remain a private man, and further details about his life and death remain private.