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Stephen Hawking

by Malini from San Diego

Stpeh Hawking as a Child (http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Stephen-Hawking-As-Child-Main.jpg ())
Stpeh Hawking as a Child (http://www.bitrebels.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/Stephen-Hawking-As-Child-Main.jpg ())

Black holes. A region of space having a gravitational field so intense that no matter or radiation can escape. Each person may imagine them in his or her own way, and they may mean something different to each person. Some do not care about them at all, others find them interesting, while still others are fascinated by them. For Stephen Hawking, black holes are his life. Born on January 8, 1942 (300 years after the birth of Isaac Newton and the death of Galileo) in Oxford, England to Frank and E.I Hawking, Hawking was exposed to science at a young age. His father, a research biologist wanted his son to follow in his footsteps, but by the age of fourteen Hawking knew he wanted to study physics and mathematics. He went to college at Oxford University, and later earned his PhD in physics from Cambridge university. It was around this time he noticed that his motor skills, such as writing and holding objects or even walking straight, had deteriorated. Worried, he went to see a specialist, who gave him the shattering news: he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease. This disease slowly eats away at your dexterity, leaving you in a state of complete or nearly complete paralysis, which may result in death. It is as though your brain is left in an empty shell that you have no control over. Like any normal person, Hawking shrank into the depths of despair. This disease had become the black hole in his life, sucking up all of his joy. He became depressed, and lost interest in his work. But then, suddenly, his outlook on life changed. He decided that, instead of seeing his disease as a black hole, he would see it as a bright star of opportunity. He started his work again with renewed vigor, and looked for anything this disease may have given him: " In an essay published in Science Digest, Hawking claimed that rather than hampering his progress, his disabilities had actually "helped me in a way by shielding me from lecturing and administrative work" (Stephen W. Hawking." Newsmakers. Detroit). This new outlook on life was the starting line for the rest of his life. Throughout his life, Stephen Hawking's courage, innovation, and perseverance have made him  a hero not just only to those with physical disabilities, but to all people because he shows us that we can always achieve our dreams if we put our minds to it.

Like many of the world renowned scientists of today, Stephen Hawking got to where he is today because he had the courage to do what many thought was hopeless. For many years, the origin of the universe has been disputed. A clash exists between scientists and religion. Because scientists had no absolute proof for their theories, they could never settle this dispute:  "Hawking wanted to develop a Grand Unified Theory, an effort to further explain the beginnings of space and time. Such a magnificent goal involved merging quantum mechanics with Einstein's theory of relativity, to produce a full quantum theory of gravity" (Stephen Hawking. "Astronomy & Space: From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch"). Hawking displays courage as he strives to merge two theories that have stood apart from each other since their creations. Till today, no scientist has come close to combining these two universally accepted theories. They have remained apart like the two poles of a magnet, never meeting. But, Hawking has set out to unify these two ends. He believes that the merging of these two concepts is not only possible, but also will result in a huge scientific breakthrough, that may bring scientists closer to discovering the origin of the universe. Hawking is determined to put an end to this age long dispute. Many view Hawking's will to not be dissuaded by other's thoughts and actions as commendable. He is frequently compared to others such as Galileo and Einstein, who like him, did not succumb to the negative opinions of others:  "That prowess has made him the modern successor to such giants of science as Galileo, Newton, and Einstein, and it has also made him--along with his refusal to be cowed by the circumstances of his disease--a symbol of human courage and tenacity."" (Stephen W. Hawking." Newsmakers). Those who want to make a change in the world must not be afraid of others' ridicule and criticism. They must continue with their heads held high and must have courage and confidence. Even though these people lived in times where their findings could cause themselves more harm than success if they were to announce them publicly, they did not waver. This has made those like Hawking symbols to all the other scientists of what they can achieve if they have the "courage and tenacity" that Hawking possesses.

Stephen Hawking in Zero Gravity (http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070426/070426_StevenHawkinsZeroG_hmed_6p.grid-6x2.jpg ())
Stephen Hawking in Zero Gravity (http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070426/070426_StevenHawkinsZeroG_hmed_6p.grid-6x2.jpg ())

A major part of Hawking's character is his creativity; he is capable of discovering new ways to do things that others only dream of doing. Because of his disabilities, he is not able to perform many tasks necessary to execute scientific experiments. Instead, he has discovered other ways to do them that do not involve as much physical labor. ""Stephen's genius," says Harvard astronomist William Press in the New York Times Magazine, "is in piercing through to the solution without having to calculate nonessential pieces."" (Stephen W. Hawking."  Newsmakers. Detroit). His disability has, in a way, aided him. He thinks more and does less, so he can focus on the typically troublesome theoretical parts, and can discover new and wonderful things just by using his mind instead of getting caught up in lab and field work. He is able to come up with his theories in his own way by merely putting the pieces together as if they were a puzzle. We can compare his methods to those used by other revolutionary scientists who were labeled eccentric during their respective time periods: "In 1973, he applied Einstein's general theory of relativity to the principles of quantum mechanics. And he showed that black holes were not completely black but could leak radiation and eventually explode and disappear, a finding that is still reverberating through physics and cosmology."  (Life and the Cosmos, word by painstaking word." New York Times). This is a major finding for the scientific community for two reasons. Firstly, it was new. It was something that had never been discovered before, and possibly had not even occurred to anyone other than Hawking and his colleagues. Secondly, it was amazing because of the way he discovered it. It was previously mentioned that the Theory of Relativity and the Theory of Quantum Physics have never be merged before. This is partly because there had never been anything that such a merged theory applied to. Not only did Hawking discover something that affected the scientific community in monumental ways, his method itself was unheard of. What Hawking can achieve through his slightly unique methods is also amazing. His plans: "...involved merging quantum mechanics with Einstein's theory of relativity, to produce a full quantum theory of gravity. This theory, if it could be worked out, would be as significant as Newton's laws of motion." (Stephen Hawking."Astronomy &Space: From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch). Once again, we must bring up the merging of the two theories. It is true, that a theory made by merging these two together would possibly be as major as either of the two original theories, if not more, and can indeed be compared to Newton's own theories. A quantum theory of gravity is something scientists have only ever dreamed of creating. If Hawking manages this, his name would be listed with Newton and Galileo as one of the greatest scientists to have lived. Though his methods may seem a little different from other scientists, they allow him to discover great things while overcoming his own weaknesses.

Stephen Hawking in Zero Gravity (http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070426/070426_StevenHawkinsZeroG_hmed_6p.grid-6x2.jpg ())
Stephen Hawking in Zero Gravity (http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070426/070426_StevenHawkinsZeroG_hmed_6p.grid-6x2.jpg ())

When many people picture Stephen Hawking, they see a man in a wheelchair, crippled and unable to perform even the most fundamental functions. But despite this physique, he kept persevering and never gave up, even in the face of extreme difficulty. Many writers, journalists, and TV show hosts have asked Hawking about how his condition has hampered his life, and every time his answer has been the same: "In an essay published in Science Digest, Hawking claimed that rather than hampering his progress, his disabilities had actually "helped me in a way by shielding me from lecturing and administrative work." Confined to a wheelchair, his physical powers reduced to the use of three fingers, his speech unintelligible to most listeners, Hawking embarked on what would prove a brilliant career." (Stephen W. Hawking." Newsmakers. Detroit). Instead of complaining or becoming depressed and lazy because of his handicaps, Hawking has only used them as a reason to work even harder than before. Instead of cowering in a little corner and depending on others take care of him, he lives a full life, and continues to work diligently. He remains optimistic, and utilizes the few good things that have resulted from his experiences to push him forward and keep him going. Even if it is not much, he is still able to aim for the small glimmer at the end of his dark tunnel. Unlike most people, Hawking also does not allow his handicap to keep him from doing most everything he would have done were he "fully functioning": "In April, he went on a 90-minute Zero Gravity Corp. flight and experienced weightlessness eight separate times as the modified Boeing 727 flew to 24,000 feet then made a series of dives at a 45 degree angle... "It was amazing. I could have gone on and on. Space, here I come." He hoped to go to space before the end of his life. In 2010 Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking debuted on television" (Stephen W. Hawking." Newsmakers. Detroit). Now, most people who cannot move their bodies would normally stay confined to their beds or, at least, to their neighborhoods. Hawking not only left his neighborhood, he aimed to leave the entire planet! He understands that though his disabilities can take away his dexterity, they cannot rid him of his dreams, and he still aims to fulfill them. And not only does he continue to live his life, he lives it to the fullest! He is also not afraid to rejoin the world, or to let the world see him. Many people with disabilities might be too ashamed of their bodies to appear in public, but Hawking has permanently etched into his mind the resolution to live his life normally, and that is what he continues to do. He lives his life, and allows his family to live their lives without having to sacrifice too much for him. He allows them to experience things that he would probably do with them more often were he able to. Hawking even has the morale to attend interviews. Even though speaking is a difficult task for him, he manages to attend while enjoying himself and entertaining others: "On a screen attached to his wheelchair, commonly used words flash past him. With a cheek muscle, he signals an electronic sensor in his eyeglasses to transmit instructions to the computer. In this way he slowly builds sentences; the computer transforms them into the metallic, otherworldly voice familiar to Dr. Hawking's legion of fans...It's an exhausting and time-consuming process. Yet this is how he stays connected to the world... Yet despite the limitations, it was Dr. Hawking who wanted to do the interview in person rather than by e-mail."("Life and the Cosmos, word by painstaking word." New York Times). He finds his own ways to overcome his handicaps. As stated previously in the same article, he has the questions for the interview sent to him in advance so he can have answers typed in beforehand, and won't have to type each answer at the interview. Life for someone with his handicaps must be troublesome enough as it is, but he still finds the time and the energy to do these kinds of tasks. He never lets the glumness of his situating discourage him, and he never looks at the grim and dark side of things. He always remains optimistic, and focuses on what he can do at that moment, instead of what he will not be able to do. Instead of lingering in the dark, Hawking always moves toward that small gleam of light in the distance. Even if he slips and falls, or loses sight of the light for a second, he is not deterred. He continues toward the light and lives his life as fully as possible.

Stephen Hawking presenting his findings (http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040716/040716_hawking_blkhole_hmed11a.grid-6x2.jpg ())
Stephen Hawking presenting his findings (http://msnbcmedia2.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/040716/040716_hawking_blkhole_hmed11a.grid-6x2.jpg ())

No matter if it is work or his personal life, Stephen Hawking has never allowed himself to become trapped by the black holes of his life, and his qualities have made him a star of hope to all those faced with the black holes of disabilities. Like all the other great scientists of the past, Hawking has had to overcome many difficulties, but he has had the courage to look past lack of support from others, and has never backed down, no matter how large the task may seem. He has never let the obstacles in his life slow him down, finding his own unique ways to get around the hurdles: "Although his body had become very frail and he had to use a wheelchair, his mind remained as sharp as ever. Hawking learned to write using a specialized computer attached to his wheelchair and to speak through a machine called a speech synthesizer"("Stephen Hawking."Astronomy & Space: From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch.). To me, personally, Stephen Hawking has been a great inspiration. For those like me, who get frustrated and give up easily, he is a true role model.  He has never backed down, no matter how bad the situation may seem. He shows us that the fear of failure should never stop us from trying. He teaches us that we should never let the black holes in our life suck out all of our light. We have to fight back, and keep going, even if it may seem like we may not win the battle. Because, at some point, even black holes must die, and a new star is born.



Works Cited    

Dreifus, Claudia. "Life and the Cosmos, word by painstaking word." New York Times10 May 2011: D1(L). Gale                     Biography In Context. Web. 27 Mar. 2012.

"Stephen Hawking."Astronomy &Space: From the Big Bang to the Big Crunch.Gale,2008. Gale  Biography In

Context.Web. 26 Mar. 2012.

"Stephen W. Hawking." Newsmakers. Detroit: Gale, 1990. Gale Biography In Context. Web. 21 Mar. 2012.

Page created on 4/22/2012 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 4/22/2012 12:00:00 AM

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Related Links

Stephen Hawking-The official Website
Stephen Hawking: 'There is no heaven; it's a fairy story' - In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the cosmologist shares his thoughts on death, M-theory, human purpose and our chance existence
Stephen Hawking - Master of the Universe C4 Science Documentary - A Unique Documentary by the Channel 4 Network - Both Biographical and Scientific - this series looks at the life of Stephen Hawking and how he has elevated our understanding of "Life, the Universe & Everything" to a new level.
Stephen Hawking - A Brief History of Time - A film about the life and work of the cosmologist, Stephen Hawking, who despite his near total paralysis, is one of the great minds of all time.