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Biography
Stephen Hawking
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Overview
- BornJanuary 8, 1942 · Oxford, Oxfordshire, England, UK
- DiedMarch 14, 2018 · Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, UK (Lou Gehrig's Disease)
- Birth nameStephen William Hawking
- Height1.82 m
Mini Bio
- Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 on Oxford, Oxfordshire, England. He was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge.
His scientific works include a collaboration with Roger Penrose on gravitational singularity theorems in the framework of general relativity and the theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation, often called Hawking radiation. Hawking was the first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He was a vigorous supporter of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics.
Hawking was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the United States. In 2002, Hawking was ranked number 25 in the BBC's poll of the 100 Greatest Britons. He was the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge between 1979 and 2009 and achieved commercial success with works of popular science in which he discusses his own theories and cosmology in general; his book "A Brief History of Time" appeared on the British Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks.
At the release party for the home video version of A Brief History of Time (1991), Leonard Nimoy, who had played Spock on Star Trek (1966), learned that Hawking was interested in appearing on the series. Nimoy made the necessary contact, and Hawking played a holographic simulation of himself in an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation (1987) in 1993. The same year, his synthesizer voice was recorded for the song "Keep Talking" by the rock band Pink Floyd, and in 1999 for an appearance on The Simpsons (1989). Hawking also guest-starred on Futurama (1999) and The Big Bang Theory (2007).
Hawking allowed the use of his copyrighted voice in the biographical drama The Theory of Everything (2014), in which he was portrayed by Eddie Redmayne in an Academy Award-winning role. Hawking died at age 76 in his home in Cambridge, Cambridgeshire, England, early in the morning of 14 March 2018.- IMDb Mini Biography By: Pedro Borges
Family
- SpousesElaine Mason(September 16, 1995 - 2006) (divorced)Jane Hawking(July 14, 1965 - 1995) (divorced, 3 children)
- ChildrenRobert HawkingLucy HawkingTim Hawking
Trademarks
- His computerized voice box for communicating
- Often made philosophical predictions regarding astrophysics
- His work often focused on black holes
- Well-known for his self-deprecating humor where he frequently makes jokes about his ailment and physical appearance.
Trivia
- He appeared as guest star on a Star Trek episode, and asked the crew to make a tour of the U.S.S. Enterprise. When he saw the warp drive, he said "I'm working on that...".
- He occupied the same post, as Lucasian professor of mathematics at Cambridge University, as was earlier occupied by Sir Isaac Newton.
- He was a huge fan of Star Trek (1966) and the only person ever to play himself in any Star Trek film or series. He was also a huge fan of Doctor Who (1963) and Red Dwarf (1988).
- On account of the American accent on his voice synthesizer, many people have no idea that he was really English. He had said he would like to replace it with a synthesizer with an English accent, but he had become so synonymous with his that he knew he couldn't.
- Claimed to have disproved Time Travel by throwing a Party for Time Travelers, and then advertising it the day after. No-one attended.
Quotes
- I think that computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image.
- To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit.
- We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.
- My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is, and why it exists at all.
- Some of our greatest catastrophes have been caused by people talking, and some by people not talking.
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