The genius who transformed the understanding of the universe
Stephen Hawking (born 8 January 1942, Oxford, United Kingdom—died March 14, 2018, in Cambridge, United Kingdom) was a theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author who wrote “A Brief History Of Time” and made profound contributions to our understanding of the expanding universe, despite suffering from a form of motor neurone disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). It attacks the nerves that connect the brain to muscles. ASL weakens the body, shortening the sufferer’s life.
In 1959, Hawking started at University College, Oxford, where he chose physics because, at that time, math was not a degree option at his college. The physics course was three years long, and Hawking knew that he would only have to take examinations at the end of the year. As a result, he did almost no work. He spent the first year reading science fiction novels. Beyond academics, he took up rowing and was chosen as the cox. Three years later, in Hawking’s interview after the written final examinations, given to decide whether he would graduate or not, his interviewers asked him why he should get a good mark. He told them that if they gave him a low mark, he would stay at Oxford, but if he got a high mark, he would continue his education at Cambridge. The examiners passed him with flying colours.
In the autumn of 1962, Hawking arrived at the University Of Cambridge to study for a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), or higher degree, in cosmology. It was during this time that he was diagnosed with ASL, which left him paralysed and dependent on a wheelchair. Despite this, Hawking’s determination continued him to thrive. Hawking’s achievements were truly groundbreaking. Hawking wanted to show how the entire mass of the universe might have been contained within a singularity. His inspiration and interest came from an English physicist, Roger Penrose (born 1931). He suggested that the gravitational force at the centre of a black hole might be so strong that space, matter, and even time could not escape. This inspired Hawking, and he realised he needed to combine Einstein’s General Theory of Relativity with quantum theory to explain singularities. By doing that, he discovered that black holes give off radiation before disappearing. This radiation was named Hawking radiation. This discovery in 1974 earned him an invitation to become a member of the Royal Society, the world’s oldest scientific academy.
In 1982, Stephen Hawking decided to write a book that explained our expanding universe to scientists and readers who had no prior knowledge of physics and were interested in learning about the mysterious universe. The book was A Brief History of Time. After working for months, Hawking sent a draft of the book to various publishers. Finally, the Bantam Press agreed to publish the book, but when the editor read the book, he told Hawking to rewrite the book so that non-scientists would understand it easily. By now, however, Hawking’s disease had worsened and advanced. He could only write 15 words per minute. Despite that, he was determined to finish the book. Finally, the book appeared on the shelves in 1988. Ever since then, the book has sold more than 10 million copies.
Hawking’s resilience and humour made him a cultural icon. He appeared in multiple blockbuster movies, including Star Trek: The Next Generation(1993), The Simpsons(1999-2010), and The Big Bang Theory (2012-2017). His life was celebrated in the 2014 movie The Theory of Everything, where Stephen was played by Eddie Redmayne, who won an Oscar for his performance.
Stephen Hawking passed away on March 14, 2018, at the age of 76, leaving behind a legacy of scientific innovations. His work continues to shape our understanding of the mysterious universe and remind us of the limitless potential of the human intellect.
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