An outstanding scientist

Stephen Hawking

Born: * 8. Januar 1942 in Oxford, UK

Family: Husband, father of three children, grandpa of a grandchild 

Schoollife: went to St. Albans School and then on to University College, Oxford; wanted to study Mathematics, which was not available at University College, so he took Physics instead. After three years he was awarded a first class honours degree in Natural Science. Then he went on to Cambridge to do research in Cosmology. Also, he gained the PhD (philosophiae doctor).

He has worked a lot on cosmology and especially on black holes. His theories imply, that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science. (This means NO to creationism.)

Stephen Hawking has published some books about his work, the three most popular books being:”A Brief History of Time”, “Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays”, and “The Universe in a Nutshell”.

Professor Hawking has twelve honorary degrees. He was awarded the CBE (Commander of the Order of British Empire) in 1982, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1989. He is the recipient of many awards, medals and prizes, and is a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

He has ALS (diagnosis 1963) and because of that he can’t move or talk very well. The illness has gotten worse over the years and he is now almost completely paralyzed. He uses a wheelchair to move (since 1968). In the year 1985 he needed a tracheotomy and due to that, he lost all possibility to speak and needs an Intel computer to talk for him. Hawking himself says, that he thinks that his disability makes him more popular than other scientists.

Stephen Hawking: “I am quite often asked: How do you feel about having ALS? The answer is, not a lot. I try to lead as normal a life as possible, and not think about my condition, or regret the things it prevents me from doing, which are not that many. “