Arthur C. Clarke (1917– ), who was born in Somerset, England, graduated with honors in physics and mathematics from King's College in London. In the Royal Air Force, he worked with radar. Clarke's fascination with technology led him eventually to write science fiction. Combining his interest in science with a skilled narrative style, he has created numerous entertaining, instructive stories and novels. His science fiction works often focus on exploration and the place of humans in the universe. Clarke is the author of many nonfiction scientific works as well, including one in which he predicted the use of satellites for communication. His fictional works include Childhood's End (1953), The City and The Stars (1956), The Nine Billion Names of God (1967), and 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968), which was later made into a popular movie.