May he RIP.

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COLOMBO, Sri Lanka - An aide says science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke has died.

Rohan De Silva says Clarke died early Wednesday after suffering from breathing problems. He was 90.

Clarke is the author of more than 100 books, including 2001: A Space Odyssey. That work became the basis of the 1968 film of the same name, and spawned three book sequels.

He was born in the English coastal town of Minehead and spen his early life in Britain. In the 1950s, Clarke became interested in undersea exploration and moved to Sri Lanka, writing several fiction and nonfiction books about the Indian Ocean.

However, it was in science fiction that Clarke made his greatest mark. In addition to the `2001` series, his best-known works included `Childhood`s End` and `Rendezvous With Rama.` A tale titled `The Fountains of Paradise,` published in 1979, sparked the real-world efforts to build a space elevator from Earth to orbit.

Sri Lanka was Clarke`s adopted home for the last half of his life.