Stephen Hawking was not just a renowned theoretical physicist; he was a symbol of intellectual curiosity. He was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England, and he had an early fascination with science and mathematics. His journey took an unexpected turn when he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21, a condition that gradually paralyzed him. Using a speech-generating device, he communicated his ideas and continued to lecture around the world.
Hawking's work primarily focused on black holes and the fundamental laws governing the universe. Hawking radiation, which he proposed in 1974, suggested that black holes are not entirely black but they emit radiation due to quantum effects near the event horizon. His math made up for theoretical problems no one else had solved.
Hawking’s book, "A Brief History of Time," was published in 1988. It became an international bestseller and introduced millions to the wonders of cosmology. I was 15 when it came out and through clear explanations, he introduced me to topics like the Big Bang, black holes, and the nature of time.
Strangely, Albert Einstein was born on March 14th and Stephen Hawking passed away on March 14th, which is Pi Day (3.14). The world's most recent men we attribute brilliance to, were tied to the most amazing date in the mathematician's calender!
Hawking not only transformed our understanding of the universe, he opened the mind games of quantum theory to penetrate the minds of the masses. But he also became a cultural icon, appearing in various media and television shows. He became a household name and a bit of a mental conundrum. The world's smartest man had no bodily autonomy, he could only move his eyes and blink. The vast distances of mind and technology were crossed to get his ground-breaking ideas out of his head.