Sir Arthur C. Clarke was a British science fiction author and futurist. He wrote "The Sentinel" (1948), which was adapted by Stanley Kubrick for the film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Born 1917, he died March 19, 2008 in Colombo, Sri Lanka, where he lived since 1956. Author of more than thirty-three novels, over twenty-five non-fiction books, and a dozen short-story collections, Clarke won the Hugo and Nebula awards for best science fiction novel in 1974 and 1979.

1. Given Name: Arthur Charles Clarke
2. Also Known As: E. G. O'Brien, Charles Willis
3. Born: December 16, 1917
4. Died: March 19, 2008
5. Birthplace: Minehead, Somerset, England
6. Place of Death: Colombo, Sri Lanka
7. Knighted: May 26, 2000
8. Awards:
   1. Nebula Award, Best Novel, (1974)
   2. Hugo Award, Jupiter Award, Best Novel (1974)
9. Widely credited with concept of geosynchronous orbit (1945)
10. The Fountains of Paradise: first mention of space elevator concept (1979)
11. Diagnosed with post-polio syndrome (1988)
12. With Isaac Asimov and Robert Heinlein, considered one of the Big Three of science fiction

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.
4. For every expert there is an equal and opposite expert. (Optional)

• Note: The IMDb links in this timeline have pop-ups.

• Born: December 16, 1917

• 1941 - 1946: Served in the Royal Air Force

• 1945: Publishes paper detailing geosynchronous orbit

• 1946: First professional sale, "Rescue Party," in Astounding Science Fiction

• 1948: Enters short story "The Sentinel" in contest; is rejected

• 1949: Writer and set designer, Captain Video and His Video Rangers

• 1953: Meets, marries, and seperates from Marilyn Mayfield

• 1956: Immigrates to Sri Lanka

• 1964: Divorces Mayfield

• 1968: Wrote (with Stanley Kubrick) screenplay for 2001: A Space Odyssey based on his short story "The Sentinel"

• Circa 1970: Signs 3-book publishing contract, a first for a science fiction author

• 1980: Hosts the television series Arthur C. Clarke's Mysterious World

• 1988: Diagnoses with post-polio syndrome

• 2007: Records "good-bye" video for fans

• 2008: Dies after breathing difficulties (March 19)

• 1950: Interplanetary Flight; an introduction to Astronautics

• 1951: Prelude to Space

• 1952: Islands in the Sky

• 1953: Against the Fall of Night | Childhood's End

• 1955: Earthlight

• 1956: The City and the Stars | Reach for Tomorrow

• 1957: The Deep Range | Tales From the White Hart

• 1958: The Other Side of the Sky

• 1959: The Challenge of the Space Ship: Previews of Tomorrow's World

• 1961: A Fall of Moondust

• 1962: Tales of Ten Worlds

• 1963: Dolphin Island | Glide Path

• 1967: The Nine Billion Names of God

• 1968: 2001: A Space Odyssey

• 1972: Rendezvous with Rama

• 1975: Imperial Earth

• 1979: The Fountains of Paradise

• 1982: 2010: Odyssey Two

• 1984: Ascent to Orbit, a Scientific Autobiography: The Technical Writings of Arthur C. Clarke

• 1986: The Songs of Distant Earth

• 1988: 2061: Odyssey Three | A Meeting With Medusa

• 1989: Rama II (with Gentry Lee)

• 1990: Beyond the Fall of Night (with Gregory Benford)

• 1991: The Garden of Rama (with Gentry Lee)

• 1993: Rama Revealed (with Gentry Lee)

• 1995: An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural

• 1997: 3001: The Final Odyssey

• 1999: Greetings, Carbon-Based Bipeds! : Collected Works 1934-1988

• 2000: The Light of Other Days (with Stephen Baxter)

• 2003: Time's Eye (with Stephen Baxter)

• 2005: Sunstorm (with Stephen Baxter)

• 2007: Firstborn (with Stephen Baxter)

• Amazon.com: 2001 A Space Odyssey (Two-Disc Special Edition) (Partner)

• NexTag.com: Arthur C. Clarke Merchandise (Sponsored)