Often phenomenal scientific advancements and pathbreaking
discoveries with a tremendous potential fail to make indelible impression on
common man. Plagued by absence of meticulous minds that can translate wonders
of science into simple words, innumerable contributions of ingenious intellects
remain obscure. Endowed with a unique combination of brilliance and humor, Cosmologist
and inveterate science popularizer, Stephen Hawking set a new precedent in
scientific outreach. Born on the 300th birth anniversary of Galileo,
Hawking breathed last on International Pi Day and Albert Einstein’s birthday, seems
a cosmic connivance to pay homage to science’s brightest star. Demystifying the
complex theories of Universe, Hawking, educated people about science and
emerged as a new phenomenon and a celebrity scientist. Besides shaping the
modern-day Cosmology with his scientific insights, he inspired millions of
people. Trumping the debilitating illness which confined him to wheel chair for
over five decades, he exuded rare brilliance and relentlessly engaged in
scientific pursuits and popularization of science.
Unshaken by the disability inflicted by a rare disease, ALS
(Amylotrophic Lateral Sclerosis) or Lou Gehrig’s syndrome, that gradually
cripples brain-muscle coordination at a young age of 21, he made seminal
contributions to the field of Cosmology. Defying doctors’ prognosis of survival
for few years, he lived for the next fifty years. His first breakthrough,
Hawking’s radiation in 1970 that postulated black holes emit radiations but will
lose energy and then disappear created ripples in scientific field. This was
against Quantum mechanics, which propounded that energy/information can’t be
lost. This black hole paradox has created a vertical split among
Astro-Physicists. Hawking believed black hole may have head of hairs while the
other group backed the no-hair model based on Einstein’s theory of relativity.
In 2015, revising his own calculations, Hawking proposed the concept of soft
hair on black holes indicating that information doesn’t disappear in blackhole
but is stored at event horizon. Not all physicists were convinced of this new
description. But the crux of the issue is that he has been tirelessly working
on the black hole paradox for over 45 years despite living in the shadow of
death. ALS left him completely paralyzed reducing the bodily control to flexing
of finger, movement of eyes but mental faculties were intact. He lost his voice
muscles progressively and for the last three decade he has been communicating
through an exclusive voice synthesizer.
Hawking’s absolute determination, indomitable will and
single-minded approach to unravel mysteries of Universe have propelled him to
make radical discoveries earning him a place in Royal Society at young age of
32. He became Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, a post previously
held by Sir Isaac Newton, Charles Babbage, and Paul Dirac, one of the founding
fathers of Quantum Mechanics when he was 37 years old. He revolutionized the
field of Cosmology with dynamic ideas. In 1982 he showed that Quantum
fluctuations or minute variations in distribution of matter seeded the
formation of stars and planets. While Hawking’s seminal discoveries in
Cosmology elevated him to towering heights in scientific field, his book, “A brief history of time” published in
1988 catapulted him to stardom and immense popularity. The book besides
meticulously deciphering marvels of Universe quenched the spirit of enquiry of
youngsters and science enthusiasts making it the most popular book in science.
Over 10 million copies of the book were sold in past 20 years. It remained on
The New York Times best seller list for unprecedented 237 weeks, making it to
the Guinness Book of World records. Galvanized by the popularity of the book,
Errol Morris made it into a documentary. Hawking authored 12 books in all,
popularizing various aspects of Universe, made appearances in several TV shows- the Star Trek, The Simpsons
and the Big Bang Theory. German
composer, Rolf Riehm composed a 35-minute piece titled “Hawking” and held ode to his “ceaseless
extension of limits”. In 2014, commemorating, his inspired living, James
Marsh made Hawking’s biopic “The Theory
of Everything”, an Academy award winner.
Hawking’s visibility as scientist is unparalleled and any
pronouncement by him, makes it to the headlines. He believed that humanity
should spread out into space but warned people of alien invasions and full
development of artificial intelligence. He feared development of AI that equals
or surpasses human intellect can spell doom for entire humanity. Being
eternally optimistic, enthusiastic, and open to new collaborations, Hawking
became part of Breakthrough Initiatives
funded by Russian billionaire, Yuri Milner focused on space exploration and
search for alien life.
Hawking won Albert Einstein Award, the Wolf Prize, the Copley
Medal, and the Fundamental Physics Prize. In 2016, when Israeli physicist
announced finding a convincing evidence for Hawking radiation, people expected
Hawking to win a Nobel. But experts ruled that results were not conclusive,
hence the Nobel Prize eluded him. Physicists are hopeful that study of black
holes through gravitational waves might provide clinching evidence for
Hawking’s black hole paradox. In his illustrious scientific stint, besides
black holes, Hawking worked on nature of gravity and origin of Universe. He
pointed that black holes are not black as they are made out to be.
Incidentally, some of his ideas about Universe its evolution,
origin and more specifically Big Bang theory earned him wrath of religious
leaders. Hawking openly dismissed the role of God as creator and comforts of
religious beliefs. Similarly, he courted controversies for his anti-Semitic
stance, strong support to BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) of Israel,
declaring women a complete mystery, oblique references to Monica Lewinsky
during his lecture at White House.
Hawking was bold, courageous, and remained undaunted by controversies.
He traveled across the globe, visited every continent including Antarctica,
celebrated 60th birthday in hot air balloon, crashed his wheelchair
while speeding in Cambridge corridor, as a prelude for space travel on Virgin
Galactic’s Space Ship two, Hawking took a ride in zero-gravity aircraft in 2007.
Despite his physical constraints, his spirit wasn’t disabled, he lived life to
the fullest. A contemporary incarnate of amazing will power and determination,
Hawking made the planet richer with his knowledge. Though he physically left
his body, his vivacious scientific spirit, will pervade eternal cosmos as a
brightest star…
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