Born on 8th January, 1942 in Oxford, England, world’s renowned physicist died during the early hours of Wednesday at his home in Cambridge. He was well known for his works on black holes and relativity. He even wrote several famous science theories, including A Brief History of Time.
Stephen Hawking Early life
In 1959, Hawking got a chance to study natural science in Oxford University, before opting for PhD at Cambridge. By the age of 21, he was diagnosed with the disease of motor neurone and doctors said he wouldn’t live for more than two years. Due to his illness, he was always on a wheelchair and had to speak with the help of a voice synthesiser. In 1974, he outlined his theory of black holes emitting “Hawking Radiation”. During 1979, he was appointed the Lucasian professor of Mathematics at Cambridge. His famous book, A Brief History of Time was released in 1988, which has a record of selling more than 10 million copies. During the late 1990s, he was offered knighthood but he turned down the offer after some time because of issues with the government.
His children
After his death, his children in a statement said, “We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years.” They also talked about his intelligence and humour was an inspiration to the world and praised him for being so courageous and persistent.
They further added, “He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him forever.”
Gonville and Caius College in Cambridge where Prof Hawking once worked as a fellow assistant has also opened a book of condolence.
Stephen Hawking Discoveries
Professor Hawking stated the “Theory of cosmology as a union of relativity and quantum mechanics.” He also gave the famous theory of Hawking Radiation which stated that energy was leaked y black hole which would eventually fade into nothing. This phenomena would appear due to the quantum effects near the edge of the horizon.
He also worked with mathematician Sir Roger Penrose in order to explain the general theory of relativity Einstein which explained that time and space would begin in Big Bang and eventually end in black holes. The mini-black theory during Big Bang was also explained by him.
In 1970, he also considered whether the particles and light entering the black holes would be destroyed on the evaporation of black hole. He also then later considered that his “information” was lost in the universe, which was disagreed by US physicist Leonard Susskind. The idea was considered to be information paradox. Later on 2004, Hawking said that the essential information must be conserved.
Stephen Hawking Popularity
Apart from the academic world, the astrophysicist gained popularity by making appearance in several TV shows such as The Simpsons, Red Dwarf and The Big Bang Theory.
Apart from TV, he was portrayed in several films with the recent one being The Theory of Everything, which starred Eddie Redmayne, the Oscar Winner. The movie portrayed and brought in the forefront, his relationship with his first wife, Jane Hawking.
Paying tribute to the famous scientist, Eddie Redmayne said, “We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet.”
In a BBC drama, Benedict Cumberbatch played the role of Professor Hawking. He said, “He was a true inspiration for me and for millions around the world”.
A Brief history of Time tops the Best Seller List in Amazon. Professor Hawking was a patron of The Motor Neurone Disease Association ever since 2008, said that their website crashed with many donations to charity.
Tributes to the Astrophysicist
The world mourns the loss of the great scientist. Famous personalities and everyone all over the world are coming in the forefront to pay tribute to the late astrophysicist.
Professor Lord Martin Rees, Astronomer Royal, the friend of Prof Hawking who studied with him at the university praised the “willpower and determination” of his friend.
Prime Minister Theresa May also said Prof Hawking had a “brilliant and extraordinary mind”, who was “one of the great scientists of his generation”.
Jeremy Corbyn, Labour leader also praised scientist for his determination towards explaining the mysteries of cosmos and his “burning passion to protect our National Health Service.”
“We have lost a colossal mind and a wonderful spirit. Rest in peace, Stephen Hawking”, as said by Sir Tim-Berners Lee, inventor of the web.
Professor James Hartle, worked with him to produce the Hartle-Hawking wave function for explaining Big Bang. Regarding Prof Hawking, Prof Hartle said, he had a unique ability with the help of which he could “see through all the clutter in physics” and reach to the existing result. In the BBC radio Four’s today programme he said, “My memory of him would be… first our work together as scientists and, second, as a human being whose whole story is a triumph over adversity [and] who inspired a lot of people, including me.”
Professor Stephen Troope, the vice chancellor of University of Cambridge, said Prof Hawking was “unique individual”. The world will remember him with “warmth and affection”. Professor Hawking had both, studied and worked in the University of Cambridge.
Dara O’Brian, presenter of BBC’s Stargazing Live and a comedian said, “Prof Hawking had an immeasurable life and one of the few people I would call a hero of mine”.
Stephen Hawking – Pure Brilliance
Professor Jim Al-Khalili, the theoretical physicist also praised the humour of Prof Hawking. He said to BBC Radio Survey, “He was a fun loving guy. Inside that shell, inside that body that was paralysed, was someone who was full of vigour, full of passion for life.”
Tim Peake, the British astronaut also said Prof Hawking has “inspired generations to look beyond our own blue planet and expand our understanding of the universe”.
Gian Giudice, the head theoretical physics at European nuclear research laboratory CERN also said that Prof Hawking has attributed a lot for the researches in the centre and further added, “A giant of our field has left us, but his immortal contributions will remain forever.”
Steve Wozniak, co-founder of Apple also said, “Stephen Hawking’s integrity and scientific dedication placed him above pure brilliance”.
In his memoir of 2013, he also described his feelings when he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease. He wrote, “I felt it was very unfair – why should this happen to me. At the time, I thought my life was over and that I would never realise the potential I felt I had. But now, 50 years later, I can be quietly satisfied with my life.”
His mother in 2002, Isobelle in an interview also said that Prof Hawking was a “very normal young man”. She further added, “He liked parties. He liked pretty girls – only pretty ones. He liked adventure and he did, to some extent, like work.”
Tweets
Just after his death, a number of tweets poured into twitter. Remembering the great astrophysicist, NASA tweeted, “Remembering Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist and ambassador of science. His theories unlocked a universe of possibilities that we & the world are exploring. May you keep flying like superman in microgravity, as you said to astronauts on @Space_Station in 2014.”
Neil deGrasse Tyson shared a picture with Late Prof Hawking on his Twitter account and wrote, “His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. But it’s not empty. Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy permeating the fabric of spacetime that defies measure. Stephen Hawking, RIP 1942-2018.”
Stephen Hawking is considered to be one of the greatest scientists ever after Sir Isaac Newton. May the Great Soul Rest in Peace. The world will forever mourn the loss.
