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Stephen Hawking

Hawking: The Life of a Physicist-Spoken Word Artist

Introduction

Stephen Hawking was a renowned British theoretical physicist who made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of black holes and the universe. Born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England, Hawking's remarkable life spanned over six decades, marked by both triumphs and challenges. Despite being diagnosed with a motor neuron disease at age 21, Hawking defied expectations and went on to become one of the most influential scientists of our time.

Key Facts

Early Life and Education

  • Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942.
  • He grew up in Oxford, England, where he attended St. Albans School.
  • Hawking's father, Frank Hawking, was a salesman who suffered from depression, which would later influence his own outlook on life.

Academic Career

  • Hawking studied physics at the University of Cambridge, initially specializing in cosmology and general relativity.
  • He graduated with a First Class Honours degree in 1965.
  • In 1968, he received his Ph.D. in theoretical physics from Princeton University.

Personal Life

  • Hawking met his wife, Elaine Mason, while attending university; they married in 1973 but divorced in 1995.
  • He had three children with his ex-wife and later married a woman named Jane Wilde, whom he later divorced.

Historical Context

Stephen Hawking's life coincided with significant advancements in physics, particularly in the fields of cosmology and general relativity. The discovery of black holes by David Finkelstein, Roger Penrose, and John Wheeler marked a major milestone in modern astrophysics.

Black Holes

  • Hawking proposed that black holes emit radiation due to quantum effects around them.
  • He used his famous equation, E=mc², to calculate the energy released when matter falls into a black hole.
  • Hawking's theory of black holes revolutionized our understanding of space and time.

Significant Contributions

Cosmology

  • Hawking made significant contributions to cosmological models, proposing that the universe began in a hot, dense state.
  • He demonstrated that the universe is still expanding and has always had matter and energy.
  • Hawking's work laid the foundation for modern theories of cosmic inflation.

General Relativity

  • Hawking used general relativity to study black holes and their behavior.

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