SPEAKS WEDNESDAY
Visionary Arthur Clarke sees immortality by 2090
By David Finch
Arthur C. Clarke, British writer of science stories, will speak at Inter-Century Seminar on "Explorations in Tomorrow" at 8 p.m. Wednesday in Hoch Auditorium.
Clarke is most noted as a writer of both science fiction and nonfiction. The New York Times says of him: "Perhaps more than anyone else, he personifies the merging of one into the others."
HE IS A FORM of latter day H. G. Wells, as his themes often incorporate prophecies of the future. Indeed, Clarke himself regards Wells as the greatest science fiction writer the world has even seen.
Clarke is the second biggest selling science writer in the world, and probably the highest paid. He has written nearly 40 novels which have sold about five million copies and been translated into 30 languages.
Distinction came to Clarke in this field in 1962, when a UNESCO-appointed international jury awarded him the Kalinga Prize for the popularization of science.
A background in science lends credibility and authority to his writing. During World War II he was a flight lieutenant in the R.A.F. and was in charge of Britain's first experimental ground-controlled-approach radar.
AFTER THE WAR he attended King's College, London, where he obtained a first class honors degree in physics and pure and applied matematics.
From 1949 to 1951 he was on the staff of the Institution of Electrical Engineers as assistant editor of
Science Abstracts. Since that time he has been a full time writer.
Clarke is also a former chairman of the British Interplanetary Society and continues his astronomical interests in Ceylon, where he now lives, as president of the Ceylon Astronomical Association.
Clarke's latest venture is a new departure even for him. He is working on a science fiction film with Stanley Kubrick. Entitled "2001," its scheduled release is early 1967.
CLARKE'S CLAIM to be a visionary was enhanced by his prediction in 1945 of communications satellites, nearly 20 years before they appeared. For this achievement he was awarded the Stuart Ballantine Medal of the Franklin Institute for pioneering the concept of communications satellites.
His early predictions were remarkably detailed and accurate. At that time even the German V-2s could reach an altitude of only 100 miles, but Clarke deduced that the satellite should orbit the earth at a height of 22,300 miles, and that its orbit would take 24 hours. Early Bird now follows this orbit.
Clarke also foresaw that three such satellites could cover the world, and plans are now afoot to achieve this.
His method of prophecy is to trace scientific achievements from 1800 onwards and to project these into the future.
FROM THIS he has predicted that man will land on other planets by 1980, and by 2000 will be colonizing them.
By 2030, he says, there will be contact with extra-terrestrial beings. But he thinks that the human race is too young to be able to reach these beings, and that the first contact will be made by them visiting us.
By 2060, Clarke says that man will be creating artificial life, and that by 2090 immortality will have been achieved.
Chemistry staffer honored for work
Albert Salisbury's 40 years of service to the Chemistry Department did not pass unnoticed. On April 14, the 63-year-old storekeeper was principal guest at a dinner given by the department in his honor.
But Salisbury, who was also presented with a substantial check, is not retiring yet. He still has five years before he reaches retirement age, and so the department will continue to see him around.
In addition to Salisbury and his family, about 40 people, chemistry staff members and their wives, were present at the dinner.
Asked grade change
The substitution of two grades, a passing mark and a failure, for the present system of five grades would be a forward step in grading at KU in the opinion of speakers at the KU Forum, in 1925.
10
Daily Kansan Tuesday, April 12, 1966
PATRONIZE KANSAN ADVERTISERS
KIEF'S RECORD & STEREO
offers the best in component sound the
MASTERWORK
for only
$199^{00}
(nationally advertised at $235.00)
- 30 watt—all transistor pre-amp amp combination
- New pickering V-15 magnetic cartridge
- Griped shaker
- Girard changer
- Pickering acoustic-suspension speakers (with electronic-crossovers)
Is the sound terrible in your set? Come hear the
MASTERWORK
Kief's Record & Stereo Malls Shopping Center
THE
PIZZA HUT
"Where Quality
Reigns Supreme"
Congratulations To Kansas University and its 100 Years
1606 W. 23rd
PHONE VI 3-3516