Who is Stephen Hawking? Why Is He So Famous?

Who is Stephen Hawking? Ever heard of his name? Or have you ever met the person in person? Maybe many of you already know who this person named Stephen Hawking is. Stephen William Hawking or better known as Stephen Hawking or Hawking is one of the most famous scientists and science celebrities and has contributed to science. Hawking is also a book author. His books make extraordinary ideas accessible to the general public. His theory provides deep insight into the relationship between quantum physics and relativity.

Born on January 8, 1942 in Oxfordshire, United Kingdom. His mother Isobel Hawking is an Oxford graduate and his father Frank Hawking is a medical researcher. Hawking attended St. Albans, where he was an outstanding student, His brilliance was much more evident year on year at the University of Oxford, He specialized in physics and graduated with first class honors despite being relatively less diligent. In 1962, he continued his education at Cambridge University, pursuing a Ph.D. in cosmology.

At the age of 21, a year after starting his doctoral program, Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. It was predicted that Hawking would only be able to survive for two years, but who would have thought, he would surpass this prediction. In fact, he can still make extraordinary thoughts, his illness does not break Hawking's desire to explore the universe. During his career, Hawking tried to unravel the mysteries of the universe. He has written that this prognosis helped motivate him in his physics work. However, Hawking's ALS is not without its effects. He slowly lost his ability to move and had to use a wheelchair. In 1985, Hawking had to undergo a tracheostomy surgery which left him unable to speak. Fortunately, a tool made by Cambridge University helped him to communicate. Hawking could choose his words just by moving the muscles in his cheeks.

Due to his outstanding mind in physics, He earned worldwide respect as a science communicator, his own achievements are impressive. Apart from being a scientist, Hawking is also a book writer. His first book, published in 1988 under the title A Brief History of Time, has sold more than 10 million copies. In the book, Hawking tries to communicate questions about the birth and death of the universe.

1. The Big Bang Theory

During his life, Hawking often gave predictions about the future. One of them in 2017, he once predicted that the earth would be uninhabitable by 2600. According to Hawking, about 13.8 billion years ago, the entire world was still the size of an atom. The atomic sphere is also known as a singularity, which contains thermal energy that will explode itself until the Big Bang occurs. The big explosion that occurred 13.7 billion years ago is believed to be the beginning of the journey of the entire universe. Can't explain how the details happened before the Big Bang. This is of course still a mystery to all of us, because the truth of the Big Bang is still often debated.

2. Hawking doesn't believe in God

Hawking asserts himself as an atheist, aka does not believe in God. Hawking has made various comments that deny religion from time to time. As in 2011 he said that "there is no God. We are free to believe what we want and in my view the simplest explanation is that there is no God. No one created the universe and no one governs our destiny. Maybe there is no heaven, and there is no afterlife".

Also in the opening of his book which he co-authored with Leonard Mlodinow "The Grand Design 2010" "God does not exist. Therefore, there is no God in the formation of the universe. God, did not create this universe".

3. Stephen Hawking's Death

Hawking died at the age of 76 on 14 March 2018 at his home in Cambridge, United Kingdom. His ashes were placed in London's Westminster Abbey near the final resting place of Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.