Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking is a man of intelligence, perseverance, and a source of inspiration. He was a physicist who was known for his groundbreaking work related to black holes, quantum gravity, etc. Stephen Hawking’s theories are today taught to students in all big universities. The inspirational story of Stephen Hawking teaches us to keep going on, no matter what life throws at you. His life had been one of the most challenging scenarios, but yet he is considered one of the most remarkable scientific geniuses who had left a significant impact with his contribution. In this article, we will dive into Stephen Hawking’s biography.
Inspirational Story of Stephen Hawking
Early Days
Stephen William Hopkins was a great physicist and cosmologist, as well as a popular author. He was born on 8 January 1942, in Oxford, England. His father, Frank, and his mother, Isobel Hawking. His mother was a family doctor in Scotland. His parents had both studied at the University of Oxford. His father was a medical researcher who was working on tropical diseases. His mother was at the time one of the first female students to attend Oxford. From a very early age. Stephen was fascinated with the working of things, electrical parts, etc. He always wished to be a researcher just like his father, but not in the field of medicine and biology. He was more interested in physics. In the 1950s, his father became the head of the division of parasitology at the National Institute for Medical Research, and their family moved to Saint Albans, Hertfordshire.
Stephen Hawking’s Education and Awards
Stephen Hawking attended the Byron House School in London and later attended the St. Albans High School. He also attended private school, Radlett School, and then again went back to studying at Saint Albans School. He also later attended University College, Oxford, at the age of 17. In the first initial months, he would feel bored due to the academic work. He transformed himself into a popular college kid who was interested in both science and classical music. He also joined various other clubs, such as the university college boat club, etc.
After completing his graduation with first-class honors, he was diagnosed with motor neuron disease, due to which he fell into depression. He pursued his PhD at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, under the mentorship of Dennis Sciama.
He had various awards under his name, such as—
- Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1982,
- Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974,
- Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009,
- Special Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics in 2013.
He had also received various honorary degrees from all around the globe.
Stephen Hawking’s Biography and Personal Life
Stephen Hawking’s biography teaches us to be constantly pushed towards success. At the early age of 21, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and the doctor provided a prognosis where he would only survive the next two years. The psychological impact of the prognosis weighed heavily on him, and he fell into depression and required support from his friends and family to come out of it. He became wheelchair-bound and was completely paralyzed. He defied his prognosis and lived for over 50 years.
The inspirational story of Stephen Hawking shares a glimpse of his life where he was able to overcome all his difficulties. He was married to Jane Wilde from 1965 to 1995. With her, he had three children: Robert, Lucy, and Timothy. He married his second wife, Elena Mason, in 1995, but this marriage ended in 2006 due to controversy over mistreatment.
Stephen Hawking’s Theories
Some of Stephen Hawking’s major theories are
- He claimed that nothing can escape a black hole and that black holes release radiation in The Black Hole and the Dynamics.
- The cosmos may have begun at a single place, according to the singularity theorem.
- He also stated that the concept of time was not a boundary before the Big Bang.
- Stephen Hawking’s theories are extremely popular, such as the quantum gravity and unification theories, which remain elusive.
- Multiverse Theory—He encouraged the possibility of multiple universes.
- He also challenged the law of physics that prevents time travel to avoid paradoxes on the timeline.
- He also focused on cosmic inflation after the Big Bang.
The inspirational story of Stephen Hawking always motivates an individual to keep on going, no matter the challenge. He survived to the age of 76 and died on March 14, 2018. Stephen Hawking’s theories and life lessons are sciences for everyone wherein limitations do not define potential.
Some of the facts about Stephen Hawking are as follows.
- He lost a bit related to the black hole.
- His synthesized voice was used for older American accents in various computers.
- He loved football and was a lifelong supporter of Oxford United FC.
- He was fond of pink champagne.
- He was known to create his speech in the form of poetry, and later on he used to convert them.
Some of the most popular of Stephen Hawking’s books are
- A Brief History of Time—published in 1988. It sold over 25 million copies worldwide.
- The Universe in a Nutshell, published in 2001, was a sequel of sorts to “A Brief History of Time.”
- Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays, published in 1993.
- The Grand Design, co-authored in 2010.
Brief Answers to the Big Questions published in 2018.
