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Stephen HawkingStephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist and cosmologist known for his research on black holes, computer-generated voice, and cameo appearances in television and film, where he was often depicted in a wheelchair near a board full of equations.
Despite living with ALS, a progressive neurodegenerative disease, since the age of 21, Hawking published more than 200 academic research articles in his life, including a seminal paper predicting that black holes would "evaporate" over time, a phenomenon called Hawking radiation.
The progression of the disease and a case of pneumonia resulted in him undergoing a tracheotomy, which left him with no means of verbal communication. A speech synthesizer was added to his wheelchair, and its American voice became Hawking's trademark.
Through his science books, including "A Brief History of Time," which sold more than 25 million copies, and his appearances on shows like "The Simpsons" and "Star Trek," Hawking gained mainstream popularity.Explore Stephen Hawking
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LIGO confirmed Stephen Hawking's theorem about black hole surface areasBlack holes are known to grow with increased mass but lose energy during mergers through the emission of gravitational waves. Amid these competing factors, the black hole area theorem—confirmed in 2021 using LIGO data—states that a merged black hole's size cannot be smaller than the combined surface area of its progenitors. Cornell UniversityEnglish cosmologist Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) jokes about alien sightings"I am discounting the reports of UFOs. Why would they appear to only cranks and weirdos?" A-Z QuotesStephen Hawking's condition explainedDiagnosed with ALS at 21 and told he had two years to live, Stephen Hawking went on to change our understanding of black holes and the universe, living 55 more years and defying every expectation. 1440Despite his disability, Stephen Hawking reshaped our understanding of black holesHis theoretical work—especially on black holes emitting radiation, now known as Hawking radiation—challenged long-held ideas. He also brought complex physics to the public through bestselling books like "A Brief History of Time." Cosmos'The Theory of Everything' depicts Stephen Hawking through Jane Wilde’s eyesStephen Hawking credits Jane Wilde, his first wife, for giving him “something to live for” after his ALS diagnosis. This biographical drama of Hawking’s life, adapted from her memoir, details their relationship and the effects his illness and success in physics had on their marriage. Universal Pictures UKStephen Hawking's biggest discovery—Hawking radiation—came from a major mistakeHawking radiation may not have been discovered without Jacob Bekenstein first convincing Stephen Hawking that black holes follow the laws of thermodynamics. The graduate student showed that black holes could shrink, setting the stage for Hawking’s most significant contribution. The Disappearing Spoon PodcastWith his dry wit, Stephen Hawking warns of AI dangers and explains imaginary timeIn this comedic interview with John Oliver, Stephen Hawking discusses his groundbreaking work in theoretical physics, his views on AI, and Oliver's chances of dating Charlize Theron in the multiverse—all with his trademark voice and humorous tone. LastWeekTonightStephen Hawking's children's books help make science fun and accessible for kidsStephen Hawking co-wrote "George’s Secret Key to the Universe" with his daughter, Lucy, to introduce young readers to big questions about the cosmos. In the first book, the protagonist rides a comet and discovers that black holes aren’t black. Simon & Schuster BooksA blend of brilliance and humor made Stephen Hawking's cameos unforgettableThroughout his life, he appeared in numerous pop culture moments—from "The Simpsons" to "The Big Bang Theory"—showing his talent for comedy and his love of science outreach. He was the only person to play himself on "Star Trek: The Next Generation," even writing some of his own lines. WatchMojoThe Big Bang became physically plausible thanks to Stephen Hawking’s thesisStephen Hawking's PhD thesis mathematically showed that singularities—points of no volume and infinite density—are an expected feature of nature. It laid the theoretical groundwork for a model of the universe where everything originates from a single point. NewsweekDefying the odds, Stephen Hawking outlived his ALS diagnosis by over 50 yearsWhen diagnosed with ALS, Stephen Hawking was given two years to live. However, he survived with the progressive neurodegenerative disease for over 50 years, highlighting the disease's variability and complexity. TIMEStephen Hawking's early rowing days shaped the bold persona for which he became knownBefore gaining fame as a physicist, Hawking was a coxswain at Oxford, where the sport helped him find his social footing and develop leadership skills, even as his motor neuron disease began to emerge. Hear The Boat SingAccording to his daughter, Stephen Hawking defied early doubts about his intellectLucy Hawking details what it was like to be the daughter of the famed cosmologist and what his life looked like from her eyes. Among the anecdotes was Stephen's enjoyment of being on "The Simpsons" because production gave him a wheelchair with helicopter blades. World Science FestivalNo one showed up to the party for time travelers organized by Stephen HawkingIn 2009, Hawking hosted a reception but only sent out invitations afterward, hoping that time travelers from the future would attend and prove time travel possible. He later joked it was "experimental evidence" that time travel doesn’t exist. IFLScienceWhat Stephen Hawking said about time travelWhen renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking did not rule out the possibility of time travel in his posthumous book Brief Answers to the Big Questions, many hopefuls got excited. But, unfortunately for them, Hawking believed that yet-to-be discovered laws of physics will prove time travel impossible. This piece outlines some practicalities about the speed of light and wormholes that lend way to Hawking’s prediction. The ConversationHow Stephen Hawking’s voice became iconicStephen Hawking relied on a voice synthesizer after losing the ability to speak due to complications with ALS. Despite technological advances, he refused to change the "Perfect Paul" voice, making it a cornerstone of his public identity. The MIT PressStephen Hawking's final messageFamous cosmologist Stephen Hawking—who lived for half a century after being diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease—delivered a final speech just before he died in 2018. In the video, Hawking talks about the importance of science and reason in... YouTubeStephen Hawking on the need to explore spaceShould we be content with being cosmic couch potatoes? In this interview, the late Professor Stephen Hawking lays out the case for continued and increased human space exploration, despite its cost and challenges. YouTubeListen to the audiobook version of 'A Brief History of Time'First published in 1988, Stephen Hawking's most famous novel has sold more than 25 million copies in 40 languages. Through non-technical terminology, Hawking discusses the nature of space and time, general relativity, quantum mechanics, gravity, black holes, and cosmology. AudioVox - BooksNeutron star collisions may be the universe's gold factoriesIn his last broadcast interview, Stephen Hawking comments on detecting gravitational waves from the collision of neutron stars. The event may serve as a new means of measuring cosmological distances and help identify revisions to general relativity. BBCThe speech software's origins at MIT led to Hawking's trademark voice being AmericanStephen Hawking's trademark voice is called "Perfect Paul," but it mimics Dennis Klatt, an American researcher at MIT who developed the speech synthesis technology. Klatt used his voice during this development, which was immortalized through Hawking. Retrospect JournalHawking suggested studying black holes could reveal truths about the universe's startAfter predicting black holes could evaporate and before undergoing a tracheotomy, Stephen Hawking conducted interviews in his voice, explaining phenomena like black holes and the Big Bang. In this clip, he explains how curiosity drives humans to become “masters of the universe.” BBCHawking radiation shows black holes slowly evaporate through quantum effects.Hawking radiation is Stephen Hawking's theoretical prediction that black holes emit radiation and eventually evaporate. Applied to known black holes, their radiation is so weak that it would take vastly longer than the current age of the universe for them to disappear. ScienceClicCygnus X-1 helped scientists confirm black holes are real and measurable phenomenaThe 1964 discovery of Cygnus X-1 provided the first strong candidate, but it took decades—and a famous bet between Stephen Hawking and Kip Thorne—before scientists were certain it was a black hole. Hawking's thumbprinted concession was delivered after breaking into Thorne's office. Astronomy Magazine
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