Facts on... Stephen Hawking

STEPHEN HAWKING
Physicist, cosmologist, author, and theoretical physicist

Born: January 8, 1942, Oxford

Died: March 14, 2018 (Pi Day) at age 76.

Hawking stands out for his significant contributions to the field of cosmology, the study of the origin and development of the universe. During his career,  the scientist  became a cultural icon who tried to make scientific concepts accessible to everyone. His 1988 book, A Brief History of Time, stayed on the Sunday Times best-seller list for four and a half years. set a Guinness World Record by  Although Hawking tried to make scientific concepts accessible to non-scientists readers, people found some ideas discussed in the book to be a bit too complex. Therefore, in 2005, he published a more accessible version of the original called A Briefer History of Time.

When he was just 21, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). This disease affects the nerve cells involved in voluntary muscle movement, and decreases a person’s ability to move and speak. Symptoms usually develop after age 50, resulting in death within a few months or years. Hawking was told by doctors that he wouldn’t live past his early 20s.

Stephen had shown interest in how the universe functioned from a young age, his curiosity and intellect earning him the nickname “Einstein.” After his diagnosis, Hawking was motivated by his wife and the music of composer Richard Wagner to dedicate himself to physics, math, and cosmology.

In 1965, Hawking defended his doctoral thesis, “Properties of Expanding Universes,” , which introduced key characteristics of black holes, at the University of Cambridge

Later, he discovered that particles could escape black holes. This theory, is widely considered his most important contribution to physics. 

His achievements earned the title of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a position held by Isaac Newton in 1669.

Quotes

" HOWEVER DIFFICULT LIFE MAY SEEM, THERE IS ALWAYS SOMETHING YOU CAN DO, AND SUCCEED AT. IT MATTERS THAT YOU DON’T JUST GIVE UP" - University of Cambridge Symposium, 2012

" ONE OF THE BASIC RULES OF THE UNIVERSE IS THAT NOTHING IS PERFECT. PERFECTION SIMPLY DOESN'T EXIST. WITHOUT IMPERFECTION, YOU OR I WOULD NOT EXIST " - Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking – Discovery Channel, 2010

Below, his children Lucy, Robert and Tim Hawking reflect on their father’s life and legacy

" We believe he would have found it important to show that he never allowed the challenges of his physical condition to limit his power of expression nor his determination to make an impact on the world in which he lived. We hope that his example offers inspiration and hope globally to all who face great challenges at this difficult time. "