Arthur C. Clarke Foundation

Today's FamilyFirst site celebrates the vision, ideals, and goals of one of the truly great men of not only our generation, but the previous one or two as well.

The site is the official one of the Clarke Foundation. The man is Sir Arthur C. Clarke.

This remarkable man has certainly accomplished a tremendous amount in his long life. For instance, in 1945, he wrote a treatise for Wireless World magazine in which he laid out the concept of geosynchronous satellites being able to provide near-instantaneous worldwide communications. This is no lightweight speculation, either. It comes complete with the mathematical formulas necessary. The article is available for download in its entirety.

That was 1945! Sputnik wasn't launched until twelve years later!

Of course, besides being a visionary, he also wrote a science fiction novel or two that you just might be familiar with. While 2001: A Space Odyssey grabs all the glory (as it justifiably should), my personal favorite is Rendezvous With Rama (although I'm really enjoying The Sands of Mars at the moment).

But the site concentrates on the foundation, not the man. Its mission is summed up thusly:

* "Stimulate creative use of communications technologies and social resources to improve health, education, and the quality of life for people everywhere, with emphasis on the needs of developing countries."
* "Integrate science and technology with literature, film and other means of outreach to enhance recognition of our increasingly complex, interconnected world."
* "Deepen public understanding of science and technology, and their impact on humanity and all the other components of our universe."

There is plenty of information about Sir Arthur here as well. I am happy to report that he's still with us, although confined to a wheelchair these days.

So enjoy today's FamilyFirst site, a salute to a remarkable man and his foundation.

http://www.clarkefoundation.org

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