In addition the the sad passing of respected writer and film director Anthony Minghella, it is sad news that the visionary author Arthur C Clarke has also died today. Although best known for writing the film 2001 which was filmed by Stanley Kubrick he was a well established as visionary and respected author long before this.  Clarke had published papers describing things such as geo-stationary orbit years before it was achieved – something that is central to our everyday lives and take for granted.  The BBC has full Obituary here.