Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England. His birth date coincided with the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death.
His father, Frank Hawking, was a research biologist, and his mother, Isobel Eileen Hawking, was a political activist and one of the first women to study at Oxford University in the 1930s. He had two younger sisters, Philippa and Mary, and an adopted brother, Edward.
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| Stephen Hawking At NASAs StarChild Learning Center 1980 |
Primary Education: Hawking attended Byron House School in Highgate, London. His family moved to St Albans, Hertfordshire, where he attended St Albans School. He was an average student at school but showed a strong interest in science.
- Oxford University: At 17, Hawking enrolled at University College, Oxford. Initially, he wanted to study mathematics, but the college did not offer a degree in that subject, so he pursued physics. Despite his casual attitude towards academics, he graduated with first-class honors in natural science.
- Cambridge University: After Oxford, Hawking pursued a Ph.D. in cosmology at Trinity Hall, Cambridge. His doctoral thesis, titled "Properties of Expanding Universes," examined the implications of general relativity and the nature of the universe's expansion. His supervisor was Denis Sciama, a prominent physicist.
Career and Scientific Contributions
- Hawking's early work focused on the implications of Einstein's general theory of relativity. He was influenced by Roger Penrose's theorem on spacetime singularities, which led to his own work on black holes and singularities.
Black Hole Theories:
- Hawking Radiation: In 1974, Hawking proposed that black holes are not entirely black but emit radiation due to quantum effects near the event horizon. This radiation, now known as Hawking radiation, implies that black holes can eventually evaporate. This discovery bridged the gap between general relativity and quantum mechanics.
- Area Theorem: Hawking formulated the area theorem, which states that the total surface area of a black hole's event horizon can never decrease over time. This idea is analogous to the second law of thermodynamics.
- Penrose-Hawking Singularity Theorems: Collaborating with Roger Penrose, Hawking developed the Penrose-Hawking singularity theorems, which demonstrated that the universe must have begun as a singularity, supporting the Big Bang theory.
- No Boundary Proposal: In the early 1980s, Hawking and James Hartle proposed the Hartle-Hawking state, suggesting that the universe has no boundaries in imaginary time. This concept implies that the universe is finite but without boundaries, like the surface of a sphere.
Academic Positions:
- Lucasian Professor of Mathematics:** Hawking held the prestigious position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge from 1979 to 2009, a post once held by Sir Isaac Newton.
Personal Life
Marriages and Family:
- Jane Wilde: Hawking married Jane Wilde, a friend of his sister, in 1965. They had three children: Robert, born in 1967; Lucy, born in 1970; and Timothy, born in 1979. The couple divorced in 1995.
- Elaine Mason:** In 1995, Hawking married Elaine Mason, one of his nurses. The marriage ended in 2006.
Public Engagement: Hawking was known for his sense of humor and wit. He made several appearances in popular media, including guest roles in *The Simpsons*, *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, and *The Big Bang Theory*. He used his public presence to raise awareness about scientific issues and disability rights.
Death
Fun Facts about Stephen Hawking
1. Galileo Connection: Stephen Hawking was born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo Galilei's death.
2. Speech Synthesizer: Hawking's speech synthesizer, which had an American accent, became an iconic part of his identity. He humorously referred to it as his "American accent."
3. Zero-Gravity Flight: In 2007, Hawking experienced zero-gravity on a flight provided by Zero Gravity Corporation. Despite his ALS, he floated freely in the plane, fulfilling a long-held desire.
4. Pop Culture Icon: Hawking appeared in various TV shows, including *The Simpsons*, *Futurama*, and *The Big Bang Theory*, where he was often humorously depicted.
5. Star Trek Cameo: In an episode of *Star Trek: The Next Generation*, Hawking played a holographic version of himself, playing poker with other great scientists, including Albert Einstein and Isaac Newton.
6. Limerick Enthusiast: Hawking enjoyed writing and reciting limericks. He once composed a limerick about his work on black holes.
7. Record Sales: "A Brief History of Time" remained on the British Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks.
8. Music Collaborations: Hawking's synthesized voice appeared in songs by artists like Pink Floyd and Monty Python.
Quotes by Stephen Hawking
1. "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change."
2. "Life would be tragic if it weren't funny."
3. "Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious."
4. "We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the universe. That makes us something very special."
5. "My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all."
6. "However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up."
7. "People who boast about their IQ are losers."
8. "The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge."
9. "I have noticed that even people who claim everything is predetermined and that we can do nothing to change it look before they cross the road."
10. "Science is not only a disciple of reason but, also, one of romance and passion."
Major Works of Stephen Hawking
Books:
1. A Brief History of Time (1988): This book explores fundamental questions about the nature of the universe, the Big Bang, black holes, and time travel. It aimed to make complex scientific concepts accessible to a general audience and became a global bestseller.
2. Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays (1993): A collection of essays and lectures covering a range of topics, including Hawking's thoughts on black holes, the universe, and his personal life.
3. The Universe in a Nutshell (2001): A follow-up to "A Brief History of Time", this book provides updated content and more visual explanations of complex scientific ideas.
4. A Briefer History of Time (2005): Co-authored with Leonard Mlodinow, this book simplifies and updates the concepts from "A Brief History of Time" for a broader audience.
5. The Grand Design (2010): Co-authored with Leonard Mlodinow, this book explores the origins of the universe, the laws of nature, and the role of God in creation, proposing that the laws of physics alone can explain the universe's existence.
6. My Brief History (2013): An autobiographical work that provides insights into Hawking’s personal and professional life, detailing his early years, his diagnosis with ALS, and his scientific achievements.
Scientific Papers:
1. "Singularities in the Universe" (1965): Co-authored with Roger Penrose, this paper discusses the implications of general relativity on singularities in the universe, leading to the Penrose-Hawking singularity theorems.
2. "Black Hole Explosions?" (1974): This groundbreaking paper introduced the concept of Hawking radiation, suggesting that black holes can emit particles and eventually evaporate.
3. "Particle Creation by Black Holes" (1975): This paper further elaborates on the mechanisms behind Hawking radiation and its implications for black holes and quantum mechanics.
4. "The Large Scale Structure of Space-Time" (1973): Co-authored with George Ellis, this book provides a comprehensive overview of the nature of the universe, addressing the properties and dynamics of space-time.
5. "The Nature of Space and Time" (1996): Co-authored with Roger Penrose, this work discusses the differences in their approaches to understanding the universe, particularly regarding quantum mechanics and general relativity.
Stephen Hawking's life and work have had a profound impact on our understanding of the universe. His contributions to science, his resilience in the face of a debilitating disease, and his efforts to communicate complex ideas to the public have made him an enduring figure in both science and popular culture.