In the 1960s, Gerry Anderson's series Thunderbirds did more than just entertain a generation of kids with his trademark Supermarionation puppetry adventure - Gerry Anderson liked to think big, and he liked to think like a scientist and engineer.<p>Some of his adventures hinged upon ambitious engineering projects such as mile-high arcology buildings, moving skyscrapers the size of the Empire State Building, and manned sun probes. Some of his ideas were vetted by organisations such as the Ministry of Defence for possible viability.<p>His stories inspired a generation of British kids to become thinkers, mathematicians, engineers, chemists ... hackers.<p>For all that his shows were television entertainment, Gerry Anderson's contribution really stands on a par with that of the late Sir Arthur C Clarke, imo.