According to a story from wired.com, Stephen Hawking, one of the most famous physicists on the planet, passed away on Wednesday, March 14th, 2018. He was 76 years old. His contributions to the sciences, and physics especially will immortalize him in the arc of human history and achievement.
Hawking contributed to many magnificent discoveries during his lifetime, and his calculations described mind-bending phenomenons such as singularities, where quantum mechanics and relativity compress and collapse inward on one another in the center of a black hole. He also concluded the black holes were capable of exploding, and was able to describe how the universe expanded and grew through a process of inflation. Hawking’s calculations also allowed him to prove that the tiniest, most subtle fluctuations ultimately were responsible for the creation of vast, incomprehensibly expansive galaxies that populate the universe and of which or own planet and solar system are a part.
Another part of Stephen Hawking’s popularity was his remarkable ability to describe these concepts in a way that a lay person could understand. It is undeniable that his discoveries captivated the public; his 1988 book A Brief History of Time has sold over 10 million copies to date.
Hawking was also instantly recognizable because of his distinct appearance. He was probably one of the most famous people ever to be affected by a rare disease. Hawking was diagnosed with an unusually rare form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease. The condition afflicted him at an unusually early age; he was only 21 when he was diagnosed in 1963. Doctors told him he would only have a few years to live. As it turned out, the early onset form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis progressed far more slowly. After this realization became clear to him, his enjoyment of life improved, and he began to make better progress in his research. His electric wheelchair and his distinctive speech tone from a synthesizer became iconic.
Hawking was hesitant about his role as an advocate for rare diseases and disability rights. He resisted being confined to a wheelchair, and he often refused to accept help or concessions for his disease. He was also known for his sense of humor and his reckless maneuvering in his electronic wheelchair. However, he became more active as an advocate in the 1990s, where he often delivered lectures about his experience and participated in fundraisers.
Ultimately, Hawking will be remembered not only for his incredible contributions to science, but also as an individual who stubbornly refused to let a debilitating rare disease slow him down. In fact, an article about Hawking’s legacy, which you can read here, mentions that one of his great revelations came during a moment of pain.
Although he did not like others to think of him as disabled, he also embraced his amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and the unique system he used to compensate for it helped define his distinct public image.
