Stephen Hawking-A Philatelic Tribute

Last Updated on: June 29, 2021

Stephen Hawking-A Philatelic Tribute

Stephen Hawking (January 8, 1942 to March 14, 2018) was a British scientist, professor and author who performed groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology, and whose books helped to make science accessible to everyone. At age 21, while studying cosmology at the University of Cambridge, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Part of his life story was depicted in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything.

Hawking was born in Oxford, England to Frank and Isobel Hawking as their first child on January 8, 1942 – coincidentally, the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death. He was educated at St Albans School, Hertfordshire and University College, Oxford, where he obtained a first class honours degree in Natural Science. He moved to Cambridge University to complete his PhD in cosmology at Trinity Hall.

He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society in 1974, appointed CBE in 1982 and became a Companion of Honour in 1989. Hawking is a respected physicist, with many works recognised by both the International Association of Natural Physics and the American Physics-Astronomy Guild of Amherst.

Hawking’s principal fields of research are theoretical cosmology and quantum gravity. In 1971, he provided mathematical support for the big-bang theory of the origin of the universe; if the general theory of relativity was correct the universe must have a singularity, or starting point, in space-time. Hawking also suggested that following the Big Bang, primordial or mini black holes were formed. He showed that the surface area of a black hole can increase but never decrease, that there is a limit on the radiation emitted when black holes collide, and that a single black hole cannot break apart into two separate black holes. In 1974, he calculated that black holes thermally create and emit subatomic particles until they exhaust their energy and explode. Known as Hawking radiation, it linked gravity, quantum mechanics, and thermodynamics mathematically for the first time. In 1981, Hawking proposed that although the universe has no boundary, it is finite in space-time, and in 1983 he proved this mathematically.

Despite being severely disabled by Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), a form of Motor Neurone Disease, he is highly active in physics, writing, and public life. He first began to show symptoms of the disorder while enrolled in Cambridge. He was diagnosed at the age of 21, shortly before his first marriage. At the time, doctors said he would not live more than about two or three years longer. He battled the odds and has survived much longer, although he has become increasingly disabled by the gradual progress of the disease. He has used an electronic voice synthesizer to communicate since he had a tracheostomy in 1985 following a severe bout of pneumonia. He gradually lost the use of his arms, legs, and voice and is now almost completely paralysed. The computer system attached to his wheelchair is operated by Hawking manually through a single switch, and software called “Equalizer” and “EZKeys” which lets him talk, create speeches, research papers and books, browse the Internet, write e-mail, and do everything else that one can use a computer for. It also allows control over doors, lights, and lifts in his home and at the office via a radio transmitter system.

There is every chance that he would never have made the discoveries he has were it not for the support of his family. Although he divorced Jane in 1990 (they had 3 children — named Tim, Lucy and Robert — and now have a grandchild), Hawking is still something of a family man. Despite his disease, he describes himself as “lucky” — not just because its slow progress allowed him time to make influential discoveries but because it afforded him time to have, in his own words, “a very attractive family”[1]. When Jane was asked why she decided to marry a man with a 3-year life expectancy, she responded: “These were the days of atomic gloom and doom, so we all had rather a short life expectancy”. He married his second wife, Elaine Mason, in 1995.

His first book, A Brief History of Time, was published on April 1, 1988, [2] and was a surprise best-seller. It was followed by The Universe in a Nutshell (2001). Both books have remained highly popular all over the world. A collection of essays, Black Holes and Baby Universes (1993) was also popular.

Hawking is famous for his oft-made statement, “When I hear of Schrödinger’s cat, I reach for my gun.” This was a deliberately ironic paraphrase of the phrase “When I hear the word ‘culture’, I reach for my Browning”, from a play by German playwright and Nazi Poet Laureate, Hanns Johst.

As well as his serious academic side and humour, Hawking is an active supporter of various causes. He appeared on a political broadcast for the United Kingdom’s Labour Party, and actively supports the children’s charity SOS Children’s Villages. He also reportedly agreed to take part in a protest against the war in Iraq.

Death

On March 14, 2018, Hawking finally succumbed to the disease that was supposed to have killed him more than 50 years earlier. A family spokesman confirmed that the iconic scientist died at his home in Cambridge, England.

The news touched many in his field and beyond. Fellow theoretical physicist and author Lawrence Krauss tweeted: “A star just went out in the cosmos. We have lost an amazing human being. Stephen Hawking fought and tamed the cosmos bravely for 76 years and taught us all something important about what it truly means to celebrate about being human.”

Hawking’s children followed with a statement: “We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years. His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humor inspired people across the world. He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love.’ We will miss him forever.”