Stephen+Hawking

= ﻿ **Stephen Hawking** =

**January 8, 1942-Present**


**Early Life**

Stephen William Hawking was born in England during the Second World War to Isobel and Frank Hawking (1). According to his autobiography, his parents moved from London to Oxford because it was a safer place to raise children (2). However, only 2 weeks after his birth, he was almost killed when a V2 rocket struck his neighbor’s home and nearly destroyed his residence.

From an early age, Stephen was encouraged to study medicine because his father was a prominent researcher in tropical medicine. Much to his father's dismay, Stephen showed a strong interest in physics and mathematics. As a young child, he was described as awkward and scrawny and had limited use of his hands.

=== **Education & Academia**===

While attending University College, Oxford, Stephen had no choice but to study physics because mathematics was not offered. He completed his degree in three years. Upon reception of his degree in Natural Science, Stephen continued his studies at Cambridge in the hopes of completing research in the field of cosmology and general relativity.

In 1965, Hawking married Jane Wilde. The love and support he received from his bride strongly prompted him to dedicate his life to advances in scientific research, while living life to the fullest (3). This was especially important at this point in his life because he was beginning to experience symptoms of ALS. With this new found support from his wife, Hawking received his Ph.D. from Cambridge and became a research fellow at Gonville and Caius College (4).

Hawking’s Battle with ALS
In 1963, while at Cambridge, Stephen was diagnosed with ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. According to the [|ALS Association], Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis is “a progressive neurodegenerative disease that attacks nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord resulting in muscle weakness and atrophy (5).” Those affected by ALS gradually become paralyzed and will eventually die because their muscles will no longer function properly due to shrinkage and hardening. Currently, there is no cure for ALS, but scientists are working towards finding appropriate methods of treatment. For the moment, patients can only attempt to manage symptoms.

Stephen Hawking is quite a remarkable patient. Most individuals afflicted by ALS only survive two to five years after they are diagnosed with the debilitating disease and are usually diagnosed between the ages of 40 and 70. Hawking, on the other hand, was diagnosed at the age of 21 and has been living with the illness for over 40 years.

Hawking is certainly an inspiration to the more than 350,000 individuals who suffer from ALS. Through his many accomplishments and discoveries, Hawking has proved to many that they can persevere and work to overcome the illness. In of April 2009, Hawking became a member of the MND Association in England, allowing the organization to use his name in adverstising campaigns and agreeing to attend fundraising and awareness events (6).

**Hawking’s Theory on Black Holes**
In 1975, Hawking shocked the scientific community when he announced that it was impossible to escape from a black hole after entering it. Originally, he thought that all information that entered the [|black hole] would be destroyed, and it would never be found again. To support his claim, Hawking stated that black holes emit “[|Hawking radiation],” which allows it to lose mass slowly. Eventually, the black hole would then collapse upon itself. However, Hawking’s proposal violated the laws of quantum physics, laws that state that information can never be totally lost.

Thirty years later, Hawking changed his opinion of black holes, negating his prior claims. Now, Hawking believes that black holes absorb and hold on to the information, emit radiation, and then eventually release the information back into space (7). When the information is released, it is scattered and completely disfigured. His latest theory eliminates the possibility of black holes being used as portals to other universes (8).

**Hawking’s Theory of the Universe**
While many scientists struggle to determine how the universe came to be, Hawking feels that he has devised a probable explaination to the age-old question. Along with the help of fellow physicist Thomas Hertog, Hawking has developed a theory that follows the principles of quantum physics, something that has not yet been done up until this point (9). Quantum physics involves invisible units of energy that follow the principles of [|Quantum Theory]:
 * Energy is not continuous.
 * Particles behave like particles and waves.
 * Movement of particles is random.
 * It is impossible to know the position and momentum of the particles (10).

In observing these principles, their theory provides that the universe started in many different ways, with only a few actually surviving and forming the universe we know today.

To explain, we must view the universe as a culmination of many smaller universes. Each universe took various paths, going in various directions, to form our current cosmos. This can be compared to when light leaves a lamp. The light will not go in a single straight line because it will disperse in all directions to illuminate the room. Our cosmos is therefore the sum of all possible beginnings. With this being said, Hawking and Hertog conclude that we can work backwards to determine how our Universe formed, following back the possible origins. This “top-down” theory allows physicists to examine all possible beginnings of the cosmos in part because it shows that the universe chose certain histories that allow for life to exist (11).

Aliens and the Vast Unknown
According to Hawking, aliens do exist and possibly inhabit distant planets and stars. Our universe contains approximately 100 billion galaxies, each containing hundreds of millions of stars, and it is impossible to suggest that we have searched all corners of his vast space. To support his claim, Hawking states, “To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational…the real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like.” This statement, while furthering the existence of aliens, opens up the question as to the alien’s intelligence level and what they may look like. He thinks that these aliens will be microbes or small animals because they have the greatest chance at survival. Building upon this, Hawking holds the grim opinion that the aliens will be intelligent and will seek to rape and pillage Earth for their own nourishment. In order to make the aliens’ havoc more real, Hawking compares their invasion to Christopher Columbus’ conquering of the new world. Like the Native Americas, humans could be exposed to diseases and be completely wiped out. Although his opinions may seem far-fetched, Professor [|Brian Cox] and [|Lord Martin Rees], prominent professionals in the world of astronomy, back Hawking (12).

Hawking Goes Weightless
Even though Hawking has been confined to a wheelchair since the 1960s, he has not let his disability stop him from accomplishing great feats. In April of 2007, he was able to experience weightlessness while aboard a Boeing 727 with the help of [|Zero Gravity Corporation]. This experience provided Hawking with a glimpse at what it would be like to enter space, a trip that he hopes to make in the future. Unfortunately for Hawking, the extreme amounts of gravity exerted on his body limit his possibilities of entering space. As it was, he had medical technicians onboard to monitor his breathing and other vital statistics. Through his involvement in the flight, Hawking was able to promote two beliefs. First, Hawking wants others afflicted with ALS to realize that they can still achieve greatness. They shouldn’t let the disease hold them back from fulfilling their dreams. His second belief, on a more morbid note, is that Earth will not be inhabitable for many more years and believes that humans must look to outer space in order to ensure their survival. He hopes that his mission towards space will help stir greater enthusiasm for space exploration (13).

media type="youtube" key="JXQeQD0CJzY" height="385" width="480" align="center"


 * Hawking Turned Cartoon**

Although he is one of the most brilliant men on the planet, Stephen Hawking still finds time to step away from his studies and embrace his great sense of humor. In 1998, Hawking found himself featured in a skit on the hit animated TV show //[|The Simpsons] (14) .// In the episode, Lisa, the well-educated genius, is rescued by Hawking when the citizens of Springfield want to destroy the town. When asked about his views on the cartoon, Hawking commented, “ I think [“The Simpsons”] is one of the cleverest shows on television, and it always has a moral.” Contrary to popular belief, Hawking’s real, albeit computerized, voice was used in the episode (15).


 * Praise and Recognition**

In 2006, Stephen Hawking was awarded the Copley Medal by the [|Fellows of the Royal Society]. The Copley Medal is the most prestigious award given to individuals who make significant discoveries in the field of science. Since 1731, when the award was first presented, the Royal Society has acknowledged the achievements of notable scientists such as Charles Darwin, Albert Einstein, and Benjamin Franklin. To show their respect and gratitude for his many discoveries and accomplishments over the years, [|NASA] took the Copley Medal into space for the first time in its history. When asked about his involvement with the presentation, Astronaut Piers Sellers stated, “Stephen Hawking is a definitive hero to all of us involved in exploring the cosmos. His contribution to science is unique and he serves as a continuous inspiration to every thinking person. It was an honor for the crew of the STS-121 mission to fly his medal into space. We think that this is particularly appropriate as Stephen has dedicated his life to thinking about the larger universe (16).” Hawking continues to impress and inspire many through his scientific theories and accomplishments.

Multimedia (In order of appearance)

 * 1) http://www.telegraph.co.uk/telegraph/multimedia/archive/01387/stephen-hawking_1387959c.jpg
 * 2) http://static.open.salon.com/files/stephen_hawking_first_wedding1251893350.jpg
 * 3) http://www.thehealthsuccesssite.com/images/muscle-als.jpg
 * 4) http://www.sciencedaily.com/images/2009/08/090821163513-large.jpg
 * 5) http://www.adishakti.org/images/universe_image.jpg
 * 6) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JXQeQD0CJzY&feature=PlayList&p=F87B6D38AA393053&playnext_from=PL&index=0&playnext=1
 * 7) http://www.inewscatcher.com/timages/2fbc7a691c5688d0a9a167c65425ab0b.jpg
 * 8) http://www.nasa.gov/images/content/163213main_copley_medal.jpg