Science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the epic film "2001: A Space Odyssey" and raised the idea of communications satellites in the 1940s, who died early on March 19, 2008 , had predicted that cheap and clean fuel might be available in plenty by 2048.
Clarke writes "Scientific research carried out by dozens of teams across the world during the past few years - much of it in secrecy and away from the sceptical eyes of the media - now indicate that the age of cheap and clean energy may be imminent: well ahead of my predicted timeframe,".
He added in his 90th birthday last year, that he did not want the world to be "baked by the burning of coal and oil", and advocated clean and cheap sources of energy because he wanted all to get it.
Options such as wind and biomass have all been proven, while other methods such as Ocean Thermal Energy Conservation (OTEC) are less widely known and tested," he said.
It is point to be noted that he didn't mention nuclear energy. He did not give it as an option even for Sri Lanka, which is energy starved acutely. Perhaps in his view, nuclear energy was too costly and fraught with dangers.
Arthur Clarke was busy working right up to the time he was admitted to the Apollo hospital here following respiratory trouble.He was reviewing his last book, ironically named 'The Last Theorem', when he died. The book, co-authored with American Frederik Pohl, is to be published later this year.
He would be buried Saturday in the General Cemetery at Borella in central Colombo at 3.30 p.m. In a rare honour to a private person, the Sri Lankan government asked the nation to observe a minute's silence at that time.
A committed atheist and rationalist, he had willed that there should be no religious ceremony of any kind at his funeral. But he believed in extra terrestrial life and predicted that one day, intelligent creatures from outer space would land on earth "in the lawns of the White House" as he put it.
Science-fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke, who co-wrote the epic film "2001: A Space Odyssey" and raised the idea of communications satellites in the 1940s, who died early on March 19, 2008 , had predicted that cheap and clean fuel might be available in plenty by 2048.
