4. Arthur C. Clarke

Some sci-fi storytellers are content to merely predict--but Sir Arthur C. Clarke creates. The writer is single-handedly responsible for the cornerstone of modern telecommunication technology: the satellite. Clarke’s collaboration with director Stanley Kubrick on the iconic 2001 predicted videophones, iPads, and commercial spaceflight--while redefining science-fiction cinema for a new generation. His sci-fi legacy inspires us to unveil the mysteries of the universe, confident in the knowledge that science is the new magic.