Biography of the famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking and ALS

Stephen Hawking is an outstanding physicist, and he was born on August 1, 1942. He was interested in physics research at a young age. He was always curious about how the universe worked. After entering the University of Cambridge, he became more obsessed with physics research and devoted himself to exploring more unknown areas through physical research. 

However, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21 while studying at Cambridge University. It was a devastating blow because ALS is a progressive neurological disease that eventually left him paralyzed and dependent on a wheelchair to get around. For the next 55 years, he lived on the brink of death. As his condition worsened, he was paralyzed, unable to speak, and had six brushes with death, but he still managed to finish his PhD at Cambridge University and survived, becoming the longest survivor of a patient with ALS. 

Despite the difficulties ALS posed to his body, his illness did not extinguish his passion for physics and cosmology. And it inspired his determination to make the most of the time he had to continue to advance scientific knowledge. Als also made him realize how fragile and precious life is, inspiring him to live each day to the fullest and cherish the wonders of the universe.

Research on black holes and general relativity

From 1979 to 2009, he was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge. The proudest position at Cambridge once belonged to Isaac Newton. His field of research was cosmology and black holes, and he was awarded the Einstein Prize, the Wolf Prize, the Copley Medal, and many other honors. 

During his research career, he met many brilliant people who influenced Hawking and shaped his understanding of the universe. However, it was Roger Penrose who had the most profound influence on Hawking. Roger was a distinguished mathematician and physicist with whom Hawking collaborated extensively, particularly on black holes and the nature of space and time. 

Hawking worked with Roger Penrose to formulate the Penrose-Hawking singularity theorem within the framework of general relativity, as well as his theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation. These have laid the foundation for our understanding of the most mysterious phenomena in the universe.

A Brief History of the Time

In addition to his research, Hawking is also committed to the dissemination of science, and he hopes to make his research results known to people through easy-to-understand popularized works, most notably A Brief History of Time, which was published in 1988. It is the best-selling popular science book of all time, having been translated into more than 40 languages and sold more than 25 million copies, including more than 1 million copies in simplified Chinese alone. 

It describes the origin and fate of the universe, focusing on what the universe is, the latest state of its development, and cutting-edge knowledge about the nature of the universe, explaining astrophysical theories such as black holes and the Big Bang. 

This book not only demonstrates Hawking's passion and expertise for science, but also conveys his encouragement and expectation for human beings to explore the unknown. Through this book, Hawking hoped to inspire more people to take an interest in science and encourage them to face the difficulties of life with courage. He has since published books such as The Universe in a Fruit Shell and The Grand Design, which have aroused the interest and curiosity of countless people in science.

Research Contribution

In October 2017, Stephen Hawking provided his doctoral thesis, written 50 years ago, to the public for free on the University of Cambridge website. He said, "By opening up my doctoral thesis, I hope to inspire people all over the world to put their feet on the ground and look up to the heavens, to think about their own place in this vast universe, and to try to understand the relationship between humans and the universe."

In the future people will continue to utilize Hawking's research, and the impact of his research will extend to all fields.

The New York Times describes Stephen Hawking as 'a symbol of human curiosity'. He did not allow his curiosity to be obliterated over time or with the progression of his illness. One of the first messages he posted on his Facebook page was, "I've always wondered why the universe exists. Time and space may always be a mystery, but that doesn't stop me from exploring."

From the age of 21 to learn of illness, Hawking has never complained about God's injustice, and has maintained the spirit of exploration and curiosity for the universe, leaving us a lot of valuable research. Hawking died on March 14, 2018, at the age of 76.