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Stephen Hawking

by Nicholas Hartman from San Diego

Nick Hartman

Mrs. Thompson

H.S.E. 2: Per 2

2019 January 30

130803Stephen Hawking(Wikimedia Commons)Stephen Hawking:  Patient, Scientist, Hero

“Although my body is very limited, my mind is free to explore the universe,” - Stephen Hawking. While he was alive, Hawking was living proof that a person’s accomplishments are not limited by his physical abilities. He had an incredible story, one that starts on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, Cambridge. In 1966, at the young age of 24, he discovered the Big Bang Theory at Oxford University. Hawking proved that, if the laws of general relativity could be trusted, time did have a beginning, and the universe began with a massive explosion of extremely hot, dense matter (and the universe continues to expand today).  He accomplished all of this while suffering from a debilitating disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A hero must possess intelligence and perseverance, Hawking certainly possessed both. He was very intelligent and he made several brilliant discoveries that changed astronomy. He did not let his battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease get in the way of living the best life he could.

Hawking was very intelligent and he made several brilliant discoveries. He devoted his life to exploring and educating people on what is in our universe and how it came to be. He founded the Big Bang Theory. (Newspapers) In formulating his thesis, Hawking collaborated with Cambridge mathematician Roger Penrose, who had already shown that a singularity was not just a mathematical artifact but, according to the rules of general relativity, could actually occur if the right physical conditions prevailed. One year later, in 1966, Hawking took Penrose's theory a step further to show that it was possible to trace the space-time continuum backwards for 16 or 17 billion years to the singularity that resulted in the "Big Bang" (while some reject the theory, most scientists believe created our universe). Thus, Hawking and Penrose proved that, if the laws of general relativity could be trusted, time did not have a beginning, and the Big Bang was a sort of black hole in reverse.  He did not stop there; he also discovered miniature black holes. (Newspapers) During the late 1960s and early 1970s, Hawking turned his attention to the idea of another kind of black hole, smaller even than an atom but with as much mass as a mountain, miniature black holes, Due to their small size, they would would live in the realm of the elementary particles, where the laws of quantum physics, rather than general relativity, hold sway. These discoveries revolutionized astronomy.

“Although my body is very limited, my mind is free to explore the universe,” - Stephen Hawking. Hawking was living proof that a person’s accomplishments are not limited to physical abilities. He had an incredible story, one that starts on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, Cambridge. In 1966, at the young age of 24, he discovered the Big Bang Theory at Oxford University. Hawking proved that, if the laws of general relativity could be trusted, time did have a beginning, and the universe began with a massive explosion of extremely hot, dense matter (and the universe continues to expand today).  He accomplished all of this while suffering from a debilitating disease called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. A hero must possess intelligence and perseverance, Hawking certainly possessed both. He was very intelligent and he made several brilliant discoveries that changed astronomy. He did not let his battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease get in the way of living the best life he could.

Despite his illness, he was lived the best life he could. (Newspapers) Hawking was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s Disease, and it was not easy. He battled alcoholism and depression, but he got through it. He never let his disabilities get in the way of his scientific research. Things began to look up eventually. Hawking's disease slowed down significantly. He began to be more interested in his work, and around the same time, he met and fell in love with a young student of languages named Jane Wilde. They became engaged, and as Hawking told the New York Times Magazine's Michael Harwood, "I realized that if I was going to get married I would have to do some work--I'd have to get a job." Inspired by the idea of surviving his illness and with the support of his lover, Hawking focused his energy on his studies. His illness, alcoholism and depression, were very hard to get over, but Hawking persevered and contributed to the field of astronomy. He had a happy family that he was able to provide for despite of his disease he was a committed husband and father. "(Contemporary Popular Writers)." He married a woman named Jane Wilde in 1965, and had two sons and a daughter. In 2006, he signed a contract with Doubleday to write, along with his daughter Lucy, three children's books in a series that would make science accessible to children between the ages of 8 and 12. When he was first diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease it made him slow down, he began to lose interest in work, and started drinking. Nonetheless, he recovered. Two years later, the disease slowed down, and he began working again. He was able to conquer something bigger than himself.

Stephen Hawking possesses intelligence and perseverance, and used it to create groundbreaking theories that forever changed the science world. That is why he is a hero. Stephen Hawking was the man who created the Big Bang Theory, made discoveries, and despite living with Lou Gehrig's Disease, lived the absolute best life he could. Stephen Hawking has inspired me and other people to go beyond their limits. He has taught people that anyone can do anything, even despite serious illness. Nobody thought that even someone like Stephen Hawking could ever be a scientist, but he was one of the most respected men of the century. Hawking was crippled, and he never let it stop him from making his discoveries. He also proved that you can still be happy even if you are disabled. He received dozens of awards, he had a happy family, and he inspired millions. He proved that one can experience really tough times, and can get through them. “Although my mind is very limited my mind is free to explore the universe.” - Stephen Hawking.  Stephen Hawking never let his disability affect his happiness, goals, or accomplishments. He was living proof that anyone can truly do anything.

Page created on 1/30/2019 4:00:46 AM

Last edited 2/3/2019 9:31:11 PM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

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Author Info

I am Nicholas (Nick) Hartman, I'm a 9th grade student, writing about Stephen Hawking, the man who I consider to be a hero. I'm sharing this information because I think he was an incredible person, and now that he's gone, I want people to know about his life, but more importantly I don't want people to forget him.