Stephen Hawking once said
“Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious.”
It was the 8th of January, 1942. While the world was sleeping peacefully, a genius was born in Oxford, England. Later in his life, he did several ground-breaking discoveries in his life. His theories of the universe, the idea of love and humanity, and teachings of science elevated the thinking of the world.
A cosmologist, an English theoretical physicist, and an author did several astonishing works. At an early age, a disease struck him. A serious motor neuron disease i.e. ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis). But the disease was not strong in front of his willpower.
Yes! I am talking about that physicist who won all odds, Sir Stephen Hawking. This man with unparalleled intelligence and visions about this universe. His words urged our mind to break the closed hemisphere of thoughts. He was true evidence of the power of the mind. The disease might have him restricted to a chair.
BUT, there are no chains in his mind. His discoveries and theories about the universe and black holes to ideas about humanity, nature, and science all are gems of knowledge and intelligence. He forced us to think in a whole new untracked dimension. Here are the times when he touched our right nerve.
#1 Black holes: Contradiction with Einstein
“Einstein was wrong when he said ‘God doesn’t play dice’.
Consideration of black holes suggests that not only God does play dice but that he sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can’t be seen.” — Hawking said.
Stephen Hawking was a very analytic person. He never accepted any theory without considering its possibilities. However, his theories always left other thinkers and physicists baffled in his thoughts.
He made the entire world consider every possibility of the universe. Gravitational singularity, No-Hair theorem, and Hawking radiations are his most prominent works.
What actually formed the earth? If yes, what was the governing force then?
There are so many questions that are still unanswered but physicists are trying hard to discover more about the universe.
#2 His idea of life:
“Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”
If you think physicists are nerdy humans just surfing among the endless calculations, go clean your glasses! You are about to meet a savage!
Some shreds of evidence are:
When he threw a party for time travelers
“I gave a party for time-travelers, but I didn’t send out the invitations until after the party.”
“I sat there for a long time, but no one came.”
This experiment proved his view about time traveling. He proved his point.
All mouths zipped!
Importance of humor -
In 2013, in a documentary, he said: “Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as one has to maintain a sense of humor.”
That Burn! -
When asked if he was the most intelligent person in the world, he replied: “I would never claim this. People who boast about their IQ are losers.”
Writer Kitty Ferguson wrote in her book “Stephen Hawking: Unfettered Mind”, that Professor loves to target the ones, who annoyed him, by rolling his wheelchair over their toes. Prince Charles was the most popular victim.
How savage can a physicist be?
Hail Sir Stephen Hawking!
#3 Stephen Hawking on scientific discoveries:
“It has certainly been true in the past that what we call intelligence and scientific discovery have conveyed a survival advantage. It is not so clear that this is still the case: Our scientific discoveries may well destroy us all.”
The physicist considered artificial intelligence (AI), nuclear war, and genetically engineered viruses as a potential threat to humanity that could take up a form of disaster.
He added: “Although the chance of a disaster to planet Earth in a given year may be quite low, it adds up over time, and becomes a near certainty in the next thousand or ten thousand years. By the time we should have spread out into space, and to other stars, so a disaster on Earth would not mean the end of the human race.”
However ‘being an optimist’ he fostered the need of a coalition of all the scientists and organizations who can develop intercommunication and keep working towards a sustainable earth.
He predicted: ‘Humans must leave Earth within 600 years’.
Time to visit our new home on another planet!
#4 On never to stop:
“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”
“My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything has been a bonus since then.”
An early struck of ALS (a neurological degenerative disease) has left Stephen Hawking down to his knees. The doctor gave their verdict on his short duration of life, just 2 years more to live.
Contrary to every prediction, he lived. He lived for more than 50 years! An extraordinary life, infusing a seed of persistence in all of us.
Been disabled physically, his mind never stopped exploring his love for science. It’s very hard to feel the pain that Stephen Hawking had gone through. But he never gave up. Never.
The problem is only big when we choose to make it big. 😉
#5 The human-alien interaction:
“If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.” — Into the universe with Stephen Hawking (2010)
He said “Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they could reach. Who knows the limits would be?”
It is completely rational to assume any extra-terrestrial intelligence lurking in space.
“Considering the number of planets and stars that we know exist, it’s extremely unlikely that we are only evolved form of life.’’, he said.
Different space agencies are keeping an eye on any presence of alien life.
Who knows when we will find it out?
But when we do, how we will react to it?
Will there be a war?
The answer lies in The Unknown.
On 14th March 2018, the Universe embraced Hawking and he peacefully bade us goodbye. His visions, theories, discoveries will always serve as a basis for upcoming exploration about the universe. RIP.
“A mind that is stretched by a new experience will never go back to its old dimension.”
Enjoying the new dimension?
