This week, MCI wishes to celebrate the life of the late, great Stephen Hawking. This genius of a man was famous within his own lifetime for his academic writing, widely read and appreciated by the general public and academics alike. Author of such books as ‘A Brief History of Time’, ‘The Theory of Everything’ and Brief Answers to the Big Questions’, his works both entertained and intrigued us all.
He attended both Oxford and Cambridge, excelling academically and obtaining his PhD in applied mathematics and theoretical physics, specialising in general relativity and cosmology. However, before he obtained his PhD, he was diagnosed with a slow progressing motor neurone disease. Rather than letting his condition define him, his incredible intellect was able to overcome the symptoms of his illness, and roam the universe.
He worked with Roger Penrose to make a theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation, which became known as Hawking radiation. Although this was originally met with scepticism, it is now viewed as one of the great breakthroughs in theoretical physics. He also introduced the notion of a micro black hole.
The awards bestowed upon him during his lifetime, are literally too many to mention. He became an unmistakable and unforgettable character in the fabric of British history and he will forever be sadly missed. Stephen Hawking, thank you for opening our eyes to the possibilities of the cosmos.