Stephen Hawking was one of the most famous and prominent scientists of the last few decades. He sadly passed away in 2018, but he will long be remembered as one of the most influential thinkers of our time and his contributions to our understanding of the universe, in particular the nature and function of black holes.
Two Years To Live
When he was 21 and studying physics at Oxford University, Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. Initially, he was given just two years to live, though he managed to live to the ripe old age of 68. The condition gradually paralysed him and he ended up having to use crutches and then an electric wheelchair, to get around. He would eventually go on to lose his voice and had to use a speech-generating device to communicate effectively with others. He was able to control this with cheek movements.
Belief In Aliens
Hawking had loads of ideas and theories about the universe. Back in 2008 at an event to celebrate NASA’s 50th anniversary, he admitted that due to the universe’s extreme size and the number of planets, it is indeed possible that intelligent life exists somewhere out there. He likened humanity’s first contact with an alien species to Native Americans meeting Columbus – a potentially disastrous encounter.
Fearful Of AI
Like many other scientists, Hawking was in favour of advancing technology. He believed that to survive, the human race needed technology to be continually improving. However, he was sceptical about artificial intelligence and the potential risks that come with it. He once hypothesised about a situation where artificial intelligence has taken off and humans, restricted by biological growth and bodily limits, would be unable to catch up and would end up getting taken over.
No Knighthood
Unsurprisingly, Hawking was offered a knighthood by the Queen for his contributions to science. He politely declined for two reasons: he didn’t really believe in titles and he wasn’t best pleased with the way the UK government handled its funding for science projects.
A Birthday To Remember
On his 65th birthday, Hawking experienced a real treat: he took a trip into zero gravity. He took off on a special flight from Kennedy Space Center that lasted two hours and performed eight dives through the sky, each one providing roughly half a minute of weightlessness. This treat enabled the wheelchair-bound scientist to float freely and leave his chair. Of course, photos were taken to capture the special moment.
Children’s Books
Hawking published many books and academic works throughout his career, the most popular of which is A Brief History of Time – it spent no fewer than 237 weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. But what many people don’t know is that he actually was a children’s author too. He co-wrote a series of five books for children with his daughter, Lucy. They all feature a boy called George as the main character and they focus on presenting theoretical physics in a way that children and those unfamiliar with physics can understand.
Cameos Aplenty
Hawking wasn’t just about advanced physics – he also stepped into the world of entertainment from time to time, making cameos in various TV shows. Some of the shows he appeared in, either as a voice or in person, include:
- Futurama
- The Simpsons
- The Big Bang Theory
- Star Trek: The Next Generation
He also was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything. He supplied the filmmakers with genuine props such as his signed thesis and his Companion of Honour medal to help make the film more authentic. Before filming started, Redmayne only got to meet Hawking once; the two spent three hours together.
Birthday Coincidence
8 January, 1942 was when Stephen Hawking was born. This also just happened to be the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death. As if that wasn’t enough of a coincidence, the day he passed away, 14 March, is Einstein’s birthday. Hawking was nicknamed ‘Einstein’ while at school because of his interest in science.
No Nobel Prizes
Despite his significant contributions to the fields of astronomy and physics, Hawking was never nominated for a Nobel Prize. Plenty of people thought he should have earned one, but that never came to pass. Prizes aren’t given out posthumously. However, someone who’s died can actually still receive an award if they were formally nominated before dying. While Hawking can’t ever win a Nobel Prize, that doesn’t matter in the grand scheme of things as his legacy is undeniably impressive and hugely influential.