Isaac Asimov was a Russian-born American author and biochemist, a highly successful and exceptionally prolific writer best known for his works of science fiction and for his science books for the lay person. Asimov's most famous work is the Foundation Series, which he later combined with two of his other series, the Galactic Empire Series and Robot series. He also wrote mysteries and fantasy, as well as a great amount of non-fiction. In fact, he wrote or edited over 500 volumes and an estimated 90,000 letters or postcards, and has works in every major category of the Dewey Decimal System except Philosophy. Asimov recieved HIV infected blood during heart bypass surgery in 1983. His death in 1992 was from AIDS-related complications, although this was kept secret by his widow for over a decade after his death. Asimov was a long-time member of Mensa, albeit reluctantly (he described them as "intellectually combative"). The asteroid 5020 Asimov is named in his honor, as is Honda's humanoid prototype robot ASIMO.
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_______________________________ Today's selected anniversaries:
1556: Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Cranmer of the Church of England was burnt at the stake. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_Cranmer)
1800: Pius VII was crowned Pope in Venice with a temporary papal tiara made of papier-mâché. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_Tiara)
1804: Code Napoléon was adopted as French civil law. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Napoleonic_code)
1935: Shah Reza Pahlavi formally asked the international community to call Persia by its native name, Iran, which means 'Land of the Aryans'. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persian_Empire)
1990: Namibia gained formal independence from South Africa, with Sam Nujoma swearing in as the first President. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Namibia)
_____________________ Wikiquote of the day:
"Between individuals, as between nations, respect for the rights of others is peace." -- Benito Juárez (http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benito_Ju%C3%A1rez)