Hawking children. The incredible Stephen Hawking
Known not only in scientific circles. Many compare him to outstanding scientists such as Einstein and Newton. Hawking deals with issues of theoretical physics and applied mathematics, the theory of space and time, and studies the fundamental laws that move the Universe. Stephen is a very influential scientist of our time; he heads the department at the University of Cambridge.
But the story of Stephen Hawking is the constant overcoming of an incurable disease that accompanies him almost his entire adult life. This one was able to realize the limitless possibilities of the human mind while suffering from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Brief biography of the scientist
Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 into a middle-class family. However, his parents were Oxford graduates and were considered intellectuals. Stephen was an ordinary child; he only learned to read at the age of 8. He studied well at school, but was no different from his peers.
Having felt an interest in physics in high school, he entered the physics department at Oxford, where he showed little zeal for his studies, devoting more time to sports and parties. Despite all this, he managed to graduate from the university in 1962 with a bachelor's degree. Stephen remained at Oxford for some time and studied sunspots, but later decided to go to Cambridge. There he studied theoretical astronomy.
Stephen Hawking's illness began to make itself felt already during his enrollment at Cambridge University. And in 1963, the young man was given a disappointing diagnosis - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
What is ALS?
It is a chronic disease of the central nervous system that progresses slowly. It is characterized by damage to the cortex and brain stem, as well as the spinal cord neurons responsible for movement. Patients develop paralysis and then atrophy of all muscles.
In Europe, Stephen Hawking's disease has long been named after the scientist Charcot, who described its symptoms in the mid-19th century. In the United States, the disease is often referred to as Hering's disease in memory of the popular basketball player who died of ALS.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is a fairly rare disease. Out of 100 thousand people, only one to five suffer from it. Most often people between 40 and 50 years old get sick. Stephen Hawking's disease, the cause of which is unknown, is incurable. Science still does not understand why the death of nerve cells is triggered. Heredity plays a role in about 10% of cases.
However, in the early 2000s, researchers suggested that ALS is associated with a buildup of neurotransmitter molecules in the brain. Some evidence suggests that this disease develops due to excess glutamic acid, which causes neurons to work at full capacity and therefore die quickly. Currently, the search for genes responsible for the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is actively underway. Even taking into account the fact that a lot of work is being done to find cures for this disease, the mortality rate from it is 100%.
Signs and course of the disease
Stephen Hawking's disease, the symptoms of which can easily be confused with other, less dangerous ailments, is very insidious. At first, a person feels mild muscle disorders (most often in the arms). This is expressed in difficulty, for example, writing, fastening buttons, or picking up small objects.
Afterwards, the disease begins to progress, and in the process, the spinal cord gradually die, and along with them the areas of the brain that control voluntary movements. As a result, more and more muscles find themselves without movement, not receiving impulses from the brain.
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is so named because the neurons that carry impulses to the muscles of the body are located laterally throughout the spinal cord.
Quite often in the early stages of the disease there are difficulties with speech and swallowing. In the later stages, a person is completely deprived of movement, his face loses facial expressions, the muscles of the tongue atrophy, and drooling appears. However, he does not experience any pain.
Stephen Hawking's disease, although terrible because it leaves him paralyzed, does not impair his thought processes. Memory, hearing, vision, consciousness, cognitive functions of the brain remain at the same level.
What is the cause of death in patients with ALS?
In the final stages of the disease, the muscles of the respiratory tract also atrophy, as a result of which the person cannot breathe. Although it also happens that the body is not yet completely immobilized, the muscles that are used during breathing cease to function.
Stephen Hawking's life with ALS
Despite the terrible diagnosis, Stephen continued his active life. However, the symptoms of the disease made themselves felt. And after another deterioration, Hawking went to the hospital for examination, where he was told the terrible news that he had no more than two years to live. After this news, any person would fall into a depressed state, and Stephen was no exception. But the thirst to live won, and he began writing his dissertation. Hawking suddenly realized that there was still time to do something worthwhile, something useful for the whole world.
Stephen Hawking's illness did not prevent him from marrying Jane Wilde in 1965, although he came to his wedding with a cane. His wife knew about the terrible diagnosis, but decided to devote her entire life to her chosen one, caring for him, while he could work fruitfully, engaged in scientific activities. They lived together for more than 20 years, and three children were born in the marriage. Thanks to Jane, Stephen trained constantly, even while half paralyzed.
But living with a person suffering from ALS is very difficult. Therefore, in the early 90s, the couple divorced. However, Hawking was not alone for long. He married his nurse. This marriage lasted 11 years.
Scientific activities
Stephen William Hawking, whose illness progressed along with his scientific career, defended his dissertation in 1966, and the following year he moved no longer with a cane, but on crutches. After a successful defense, he began working at Gonville and Caius College, Cambridge, as a research fellow.
It had to be used since 1970, but despite this, from 1973 to 1879 Hawking worked at the University of Cambridge at the Faculty of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, where in 1977 he became a professor.
Physicist Stephen Hawking from 1965 to 1970 conducted research on the state of the Universe at the time of the Big Bang. In 1970, he studied the theory of black holes and formulated several theories. As a result, he made enormous contributions to cosmology and astronomy, as well as to the understanding of gravity and the theory of black holes. Thanks to his fruitful work, Hawking became the owner of a large number of awards and prizes.
Until 1974, the scientist could eat on his own, as well as get up and go to bed. Some time later, illness forced students to seek help, but subsequently they had to hire a professional nurse.
Stephen Hawking quickly lost the ability to write due to atrophy of the arm muscles. I had to solve complex problems and equations, build and visualize graphs in my head. The scientist’s speech apparatus also suffered; he was understood only by close people and those who often communicated with him. Despite this, Stephen dictated scientific works to the secretary and gave lectures, but, however, with the help of a translator.
Writing books
The scientist decided to popularize science and in the 1980s began working on a book called “A Brief History of Time.” It explained the nature of matter, time and space, the theory of black holes and the Big Bang. The author avoided complex mathematical terms and equations, hoping that the book would also be interesting to ordinary people. And so it happened. Stephen never expected his work to become so popular. In 2005, Hawking wrote a second book and gave it the title “The Brief History of Time.” It is dedicated to the latest achievements in the field of theoretical astronomy.
Communication with the outside world using technology
In 1985, Hawking fell ill with pneumonia. Stephen was completely speechless due to the forced tracheotomy. Caring people saved the scientist from silence. A computer program was developed for him, allowing him to use a lever with a finger movement to select words displayed on the monitor and compose phrases from them, which were ultimately sent to Communication with people through computer technology significantly improved the life of the scientist. It also became possible to translate physics equations that were written in words using the equalizer into symbols. Now Stephen learned to give lectures on his own, but they had to be prepared in advance and sent to the speech synthesizer.
After muscle atrophy completely immobilized the scientist’s limbs, an infrared sensor was placed in his glasses. This allows you to select letters with your eyes.
Conclusion
Despite his serious illness, Stephen William Hawking remains very active at 73 years old. Many healthy people would envy him. He often travels, gives interviews, writes books, tries to popularize science, and makes plans for the future. The professor's dream was to travel on a spaceship. The disease taught him not to spare himself, because it is not so favorable to many. He believes that he lived so long thanks to mental work and excellent care.
We can say that the story of Stephen Hawking is an example of the enormous hard work and courage that only a select few possess.
How can I explain to you and myself, without boring problems, who this Stephen Hawking is? Surely you have seen this scientist in a wheelchair more than once in various interviews. The first thing that catches your eye is that he looks strange, to put it mildly, and people with similar diseases will forgive me, but really, it’s not often that you see such a guy on the street. Natural questions arise: why is this man so famous, why is he known all over the world, and why did he have such a terrible illness? And, by the way, Stephen Hawking lived 74 years. And this despite the fact that Lou Gehrig's disease, which leads to paralysis and atrophy of all muscles, was diagnosed to him at the age of 20. Diagnosed at 54, doctors initially told Stephen Hawkin he had no more than three years to live, but this guy lasted much longer. Theoretical physicist, popularizer of science. Do these words mean anything to you? I am sure that the meaning becomes clear - before us is an intelligent person who has devoted his life to science. He attracted attention not only because he was intellectually developed, but also by the fact that, despite his illness, he was able to fully engage in science, write books, make discoveries, and was also married twice, was able to give birth to three children, become a good father to them and even managed to admire his grandchildren. For the last 33 years, Stephen Hawking could not even speak on his own, because after suffering from pneumonia and undergoing a tracheotomy, he lost the ability to produce sounds. But by the age of 40, his speech was already slurred and not understandable to everyone. Stephen Hawking communicated after losing his voice using a speech synthesizer, which was installed on his wheelchair.
On the left is Stephen Hawking as a child.
Who are these brave women who agreed to connect their lives with Stephen Hawking? And it’s not easy to tie, they were probably happy for some time with the great scientist, until thoughts of divorce began to arise in their heads. He met Jane Wilde, who was two years younger than him, through mutual college friends, he was 21 years old and she was 19. Jane Wilde accepted the fact that Stephen Hawking was terminally ill, she was in love, and although her lover said told her that he had no more than two years to live, she agreed to share with him all the hardships and joys of life. Soon after the engagement, Jane married him. Stephen Hawking grew weaker; at first he walked with the help of crutches, then moved to a wheelchair. Three children were born into this family. The wedding took place in 1965, the first son Robert was born in 1967, daughter Lucy in 1970, another son Timothy was born in 1979, at that time Stephen Hawking was practically paralyzed, and friends of this married couple somewhat doubted that a child was born from him. But Jane Wilde was faithful to her husband, and although it was extremely difficult for her with him, because he could not help her with the children at all, since he himself was more helpless than a child, and they say that his character was not sweet, but she was his support , muse and good wife. But over time, the relationship began to deteriorate, Jane Wilde fell in love with someone else, this guy was a family friend. It’s understandable, she’s a young, attractive woman who got married early. I could well dream of a strong man's hug. Here, even in healthy couples, feelings begin to fade over time, let alone families placed in difficult moral conditions.
Stephen Hawking also did not stay alone for long, because he had his eye on his nurse, the red-haired Elaine Mason, whom he married in 1995, and lived hand in hand for 11 years; the couple divorced only in 2006. The press often wrote that the new wife does not really care about the world-famous scientist and even beats him from time to time. Whether this really happened or not, we are unlikely to know, and all this is not important. Stephen Hawking has certainly left his mark on science. Did I care about the topics he explored? To be honest, I always read the news in which his name was mentioned, for the reason that I wanted to hear the opinion of an intelligent person on certain issues that concern me. For example, I often heard from Stephen Hawking that we need to explore space as soon as possible, since the apocalypse is coming, it will be either nuclear war, or global warming, the fall of the astral body, the arrival of aliens, sooner or later the day “X” "will come, so you need to have backup accommodation options for earthlings and get the hell out of this blue planet in time. In addition, it is a well-known fact that Stephen Hawking devoted a lot of time to the study of black holes, the structure of space-time and the theory of the Big Bang. Whatever one may say, over time all these conclusions will inevitably become outdated, new theories will appear - closer to the truth, but they will still be only assumptions. Poor Stephen Hawking will disappear into oblivion... Some of Stephen Hawking's theories were already recognized as incorrect during his lifetime, but nevertheless, the scientist did his best, worked hard and fruitfully. Well, now, I suggest you look at all these photos of Stephen Hawkin, his wives and children.
By the way, I watched the film “Stephen Hawking’s Universe”, for this film Eddie Redmayne deservedly received an Oscar, he got into his role so well that Stephen Hawking, who watched this drama, very often thought that he was seeing himself. Eddie Redmayne lost 7 kilos, visited about forty people with Lou Gehrig's disease, plus on the set of the film he developed a curvature of the spine - as he sat motionless for a long time, even when the command “Stop!” Cut!”
In this photo, Stephen Hawking is next to his wife and three of his children.
In the photo, Stephen Hawking and his daughter Lucy Hawking, she wrote children's books with her father on the topic of the origin of the Universe and black holes.
This photo shows a young Stephen Hawking.
She played Hawking's wife in the film Stephen Hawking's Universe.
This photo shows Stephen Hawking with his wife, daughter and son.
Stephen Hawking's daughter is Lisi Hawking.
The photo shows one of Stephen Hawking's sons.
There is a category of people for whom searching for answers to such abstract questions is a vital necessity. Their inquisitive mind cannot calm down by solving simple, pressing problems. They look at the stars and try to find answers to these questions in the infinity of the Universe...
Where did the Universe come from and where is it going? Was it created or did it appear on its own? Or maybe it existed forever? What came first - the chicken or the egg? Does time exist and will it ever end?
There is a category of people for whom searching for answers to such abstract questions is a vital necessity. Their inquisitive mind cannot calm down by solving simple, pressing problems. They look at the stars and try to find answers to these questions in the infinity of the Universe. According to System-Vector Psychology by Yuri Burlan, these people have a sound vector - one of the eight sets of innate mental desires and human properties.
One of the brightest representatives of the sound vector, who most fully realized his sound purpose, is the English theoretical physicist, professor of mathematics and popularizer of science Stephen Hawking.
From the biography of Stephen Hawking
Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford (Great Britain) into a family close to scientific circles. His father, Frank Hawking, worked as a researcher at the Hampstead Medical Center, and his mother, Isabel Hawking, worked as a secretary there. Stephen also had two younger sisters and an adopted brother, Edward.
Since childhood, Steve has been surrounded by scientific interests. Before his birth, his mother, obeying some inner impulse, bought an astronomical atlas. The whole family enjoyed watching the stars with great pleasure. The Hawkings were considered highly intelligent, but eccentric and strange people, which suggests that Stephen's parents may also have a sound vector. This is probably why they understood the innate characteristics of their son from childhood and tried to develop them.
His mother noticed that Steve had been attracted to the stars since childhood. He was very capable and knew how to notice what others did not see. At home they often played various intellectual games, but Stephen found them too simple. One day, somewhere he got hold of a very complex game called Dynasty, which could be played for hours and never ended. Nobody survived this marathon. But Stephen liked the game. As his mother said, he had a complex mind.
Young photos of Stephen Hawking also show signs of a sound vector in him: a high forehead, a deep, inquisitive gaze.
At school he did not excel academically and was third from the bottom. However, this did not bother him too much. He had many interests. He loved to dance and rowed at university. He was more of an adventurer. You could never know exactly what he would do next.
At Oxford University, his unconventional mind and quickness in solving problems amazed not only his fellow students, but also his teachers. What was given to others with great difficulty, he mastered, it seemed, in one breath. He was not a very diligent student, but he took advantage of the gigantic volume of his abstract intellect.
There is a well-known story when students had to answer 13 questions from the book “Electricity and Magnetism” in preparation for exams. Only two people answered 1-1.5 questions, and it took them about a month to do so. Stephen “only managed to answer 10” in a few hours (at the last moment). It was then that his classmates realized that they were “from different planets” with him.
Stephen graduated from university in 1962 and then worked as a researcher in the fields of astronomy, applied mathematics and theoretical physics over the years. He studied the theory of the Big Bang, as a result of which the Universe arose, and also developed the theory of black holes. There was a hypothesis that black holes absorb everything without releasing anything to the outside. However, Hawking theoretically proved that black holes emit radiation, later called "Hawking radiation", and eventually "evaporate".
Beyond the limits of physical capabilities
It is difficult to say why nature sometimes sends such difficult trials to a person. However, in the case of Stephen Hawking, there is a possibility that if it were not for the terrible diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, humanity might have lost one of the most brilliant scientists of our time. Stephen's mother believes that if he had not been completely immobilized, he would hardly have been able to concentrate so much on his research work, because by nature he was very mobile and had many interests. In a sense, Stephen Hawking's illness created the conditions for the maximum concentration of his unique intellect.
So, when Hawking turned 21, doctors told him that he would have complete loss of mobility, that only his heart, lungs and brain would remain in working order. He was given only 2.5 years to live. The first reaction, of course, was shock. Showing great promise, a capable young scientist suddenly lost interest in life and fell into a deep depression. However, two factors brought him out of this state.
The first is a strong sound desire to understand this world. Since the brain is able to work, the sound artist can live a full life. Because for a person, the body is always felt as something secondary, illusory. And even if it is immobilized, this does not prevent it from thinking. He already spends most of his life in his inner world, and not in the real one. Hawking's entire subsequent life is proof of this. In any state and under any conditions, he thinks intently, making his discoveries.
As Stephen Hawking's mother said, his illness was less of a disaster for him than it would have been for another person because he could largely live in his own mind. From the point of view of System-Vector Psychology, there was a forced reduction in other desires of the body and the correct alignment of priorities. Sound desires are the strongest. However, often the needs in other vectors do not allow a person to fully concentrate on finding the meaning of life, they are distracted by simple earthly and everyday affairs, which is why the sound is not fully filled and suffers from unfulfillment.
Stephen Hawking in this sense turned out to be a happy man - circumstances forced him to focus on the most important thing. That is why his life has become so full, and he still continues to work fruitfully, contrary to the doctors’ predictions. This is the secret of his courage, extraordinary thirst for life and knowledge, which surprise everyone who comes into contact with him.
The second factor that influenced his decision to go all the way was the faith in him of his fiancee and then wife Jane Wilde, a woman with an unusually developed personality, characterized by a high degree of empathy, responsiveness and sacrifice. Her entire life together with Hawking became a great service to the scientist and his ideas, even to the detriment of her own realization - she was also talented in the study of Romance languages. It was she who helped her husband succeed, because she replaced his arms and legs and contributed in every possible way to the realization of his scientific talent. And she even gave him three children! Behind the success of an accomplished man there is always a developed woman. Stephen Hawking's serious illness not only did not push Jane away, but prompted her to serve her beloved as selflessly and devotedly as possible.
How many more blows of fate did he have to endure! In 1985, after suffering from pneumonia and tracheal surgery, he completely lost his voice. However, his friends gave him a special computer that synthesized his voice. Only one facial muscle remained mobile, opposite which a sensor was attached that transmits signals to the computer. So the scientist got the opportunity to communicate with others. And in 1991, while crossing the road in a wheelchair, he was hit by a car. He received multiple injuries, but returned to work within a few days. His fortitude seems inexhaustible.
The Edge of Talent
Stephen Hawking has been a very active person since childhood. He was characterized by fast movements, gestures, and facial expressions. His interests were always varied, he loved dancing and sports. This is how Stephen’s skin vector manifested itself. And even now, with complete paralysis of his entire body, he continues to remain very active, constantly appearing at lectures, scientific conferences, and social events in his wheelchair, thanks to which he moves independently. In 2007, he even tested the state of weightlessness on a special plane, and in 2009 he was going to fly into space. True, the flight did not take place. Numerous photographs of Stephen Hawking during that period of his life show how rich a life even an immobilized person can live - if he lives for the sake of others, for the sake of a great goal.
The skin vector also influences his scientific views. He says that the Universe is logical and follows certain rules. The Universe has a purpose. While studying very abstract things, he still tries to ensure that his research has a practical application, benefits humanity, and helps it survive. As a developed person with a skin vector, he manifests himself as an inventor and experimenter. A scientist is not afraid to assume and make mistakes. Often he even makes a bet about the correctness of his next hypotheses. This also shows his skin adventurism. He doesn't always win, but science benefits from it.
The skin-sound combination of vectors forces him to carry his ideas to the masses. As System-Vector Psychology Yuri Burlan says, such people are inductive, infecting others with their conviction. They may even be fanatics of the idea, in the good sense of the word.
Stephen Hawking popularizes complex sciences - quantum physics and cosmology, because he believes that the future of humanity depends on new scientists, those who are now growing up. One of his most famous books for the general reader was “A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes,” written in simple, understandable language. It became a bestseller because it helps you understand very complex things and think about what this world is like. Thanks to the scientist, the concepts of a black hole, singularity, and new ideas about time are increasingly entering the everyday life of the average person, and directors are happy to make films on these topics. This is how we gradually get used to living in a larger world.
Scientist Stephen Hawking could not have happened without. His secretary noticed that he read very slowly, much slower than his assistant. This is due to the fact that Stephen simultaneously remembers huge amounts of information, because he will not have the opportunity to return to reading again. To work, he needs excellent memory, as well as the ability to structure and analyze information. All these abilities are determined by the presence of the anal vector.
When Stephen Hawking began to lose control of his hands, he needed to master a whole new set of tools to solve research problems. The only thing he could do was solve them with the help of the images he imagined in his mind. The visual vector helped him in this, giving a person imaginative intelligence. Hawking operates with images and diagrams like no one else, and this is his advantage. Due to the fact that he has a unique set of tools, he can solve problems that no one could solve before. The combination of abstract (sound) and figurative (visual) intelligence forms all the intellectual power that the scientist demonstrates to us.
Living the dream of solving the mystery
Stephen Hawking is a unique personality. Completely limited in physical capabilities, he is completely unlimited in the capabilities of his mind. Thought cannot have limitations. What seemed unthinkable to us 100 years ago is commonplace today, thanks to the flight of fancy of seekers, science fiction writers, and scientists.
Like any sound person, he has a special relationship to the idea of God, the Creator. As a child, his father read the Bible to him, and at school he was one of the best in Theosophy, because he knew all the biblical characters well. However, as Stephen grew up, he became primarily an atheist, a scientist who relied solely on knowledge, on the reserves of the human mind. And yet, the idea of God constantly runs through all his works as one of the possibilities for creating the Universe. In his book A Brief History of Time, he tries to answer Einstein's question whether God had any choice when he created the universe. In fact, he is trying to unravel the Plan. And yet his conclusion so far is this: the Creator had nothing to do here, the Universe is without beginning and end.
Stephen Hawking believes that the secrets of the Universe can be revealed, because people do not yet know where the limits of knowledge lie. He writes: “If we do discover a theory that fully explains the universe over time, its general principles should be understood by everyone, not just a few scientists. And then all of us, philosophers, scientists and ordinary people, will be able to take part in the discussion of why we and the Universe exist. And if we find the answer to this question, it will be the greatest triumph of the human mind, for then we will know God’s plan.”
The ingenious sound mind asks the main sound question and sets ambitious goals: neither more nor less - to understand God's plan. And this is truly the salvation of humanity.
If your dreams are about the same, you can learn all about the sound vector and the possibilities of its implementation at the System-Vector Psychology training by Yuri Burlan. Register for free online training using the link:
The article was written based on the training materials “ System-vector psychology»This man showed that Lou Gehrig's disease is an incredibly variable disorder in many ways. On average, people live two to three years after diagnosis. But this means that half the people live longer, which means there are people who live very, very long.
Life expectancy depends on two things. First, motor neurons control the diaphragm, the breathing muscle. People often die from respiratory failure. Secondly, deterioration of the swallowing muscle can lead to malnutrition and dehydration. If these two things are missing, one can potentially live for a very long time, although the quality of that life may be questionable. What happened to Hawking is simply amazing.
Did he live this long because he got sick when he was young and had juvenile diabetes?
Juvenile diabetes is diagnosed during adolescence and is not something I know well enough to discuss. But this is most certainly a diabetic disorder that progresses very, very slowly. I have patients in my clinic who were diagnosed as teenagers and still live into their 40s, 50s, or 60s.
How common are cases of slowly progressive forms of ALS?
I think less than a few percent.
Do you think Hawking's longevity is due more to the excellent care he received, or to the biology of his particular form of ALS?
I think it's both. I don't know him very well, so I don't know what operations he was subjected to. If he was not given artificial ventilation, it is a matter of biology - it determines how long a neurodegenerative disease progresses and how long it takes to live. If you have trouble swallowing, you may be able to get a feeding tube, which reverses nutritional and hydration problems. But a lot depends on biology.
Hawking apparently has quite an active mind, and his previous statements indicate that his attitude is quite positive despite his condition. Is there evidence that lifestyle and psychological state affect the lifespan of patients?
I don't think longevity depends on this.
ALS still has no cure. What have we learned more recently about the disease that could help develop better treatments?
Back in 2006, it became clear that, like many other neurodegenerative diseases, ALS is defined by the accumulation of abnormal proteins in the brain. 10% of ALS is genetic and depends on a gene mutation. There are certain genes that lead to certain types of ALS. Knowing the characteristics of these genes, we would know the mechanisms of their action on the brain, and therefore potentially have a target for therapy. But so far there are no such therapies.
"He's exceptional," Nigel Leigh, professor of clinical neurology at King's College London, said in 2002. - I don't know anyone who has lived with ALS for that long. Not only is the time that has passed unusual, but also that the disease appears to have burned out. He appears to be relatively stable. This kind of stabilization is extremely rare.”
However, ten years later, when Hawking turned 70 in 2012, many other scientists had this reaction. Anmar al-Chalabi of King's College London called Hawking "extraordinary. I don't know anyone who has survived that amount of time."
What makes Hawking different from others? Just luck? Or did the transcendental nature of his intellect somehow stop his inevitable fate? Nobody knows for sure. Even Hawking himself, who is well versed in the mechanics behind the Universe, cannot explain. “Perhaps my version of ALS was due to poor absorption of vitamins,” he said.
Hawking himself claims that his focus on work, coupled with his disability, gave him years that were not available to others. Anyone else in a more physical field—say, Lou Gehrig himself—would not be able to function at such a high level. “It certainly helped that I had a job and that I was well looked after,” Hawking said in 2011. “I am fortunate to work in theoretical physics, one of the few fields in which disability is not a major obstacle.”
In any case, Hawking demonstrates the incredible: you can and should fight and live with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.
Stephen William Hawking (b. 1942) is an English scientist and theorist in the field of physics and cosmology, professor of mathematics, educated at Oxford and Cambridge. He specializes in astrophysics, studies the theory of black holes, as well as the emergence of the World after the Big Bang. His main hypothesis is that small black holes gradually lose energy, while emitting Hawking radiation and as a result evaporate.
Birth and family
Stephen was born at the height of World War II on January 8, 1942. This happened in the UK in the city of Oxford. Before this, the family lived in London, but the parents, fearing German bombing, left there (the Germans and the British had an agreement not to bomb Cambridge and Oxford). When the war ended, the Hawkings returned to London and lived in the northern area of Highgate.
Dad, Frank Hawking, was from Yorkshire. All of his previous ancestors were farmers, but Frank decided to devote his life to medicine. He studied at Oxford, then researched tropical diseases, for which he crossed almost the entire African continent. Dad then worked in Hampstead as a researcher at a medical center.
Her mother, Isabel Hawking, was from Scotland; her father worked as a doctor all his life. She received her education at Oxford, after studying she worked as a tax inspector, but she did not like this job at all. Mom quit that job and got a job as a secretary at a medical research center, where she met her future husband, Frank.
Stephen was the eldest child in the family, then two girls appeared - Mary and Philippa, and a stepbrother Edward (the parents adopted this boy).
Stephen was one and a half years old when his first sister, Mary, was born. The boy was not very happy about this event. The small age difference was the reason that in childhood there was a tense relationship between brother and sister. Over the years, friction disappeared, everyone chose their own path in life, Mary became a doctor, which her father was incredibly happy about.
When Stephen was 5 years old, his second sister Philippa was born. The boy already understood what was happening and was really looking forward to his little sister so that the three of them could play. Edward's parents adopted him when Stephen was already 14 years old.
Childhood
Parents raised their children using books on child development. It said that at the age of two, children are ready for social contacts, so Stephen was sent to kindergarten at Byron House School at two and a half years old. The children all played together, and Hawking stood in the playroom and sobbed loudly because he was scared, being left with strangers for the first time. Mom and dad took the baby and didn’t send him to kindergarten for another year and a half.
Little Stephen had a great interest in trains and really wanted such a toy. During the war, toys were not produced or sold. Dad tried to make a wooden model train for his son, but the boy was not happy with it. And when the war ended, my father went to America and brought everyone gifts for Christmas: nylon stockings for my mother, a doll with closed eyes for my sister Mary, and a figure eight railroad for Stephen and a train on a locomotive. To this day, Hawking remembers the excitement with which he opened the box when he was little.
The Hawkings lived in a narrow and tall house built in the Victorian style. My parents bought it during the war at a very low price, because then everyone was sure that London would be completely destroyed by bombing. There were indeed a lot of ruins on the street where they lived. Little Steven loved to play them with his childhood friend Howard. The boys were completely different. Howard went to a regular public school, his parents were simple people, he loved football and boxing. While Stephen studied at the most advanced English school, Byron House, his intelligent parents did not welcome their children's passion for sports.
In 1950, my parents bought a new large house in the suburb of London - the cathedral town of St. Albans. The Hawkings also purchased a gypsy wagon, which they took to a field near the village of Osmington Mills for the summer. My father made multi-tiered children's beds in it, and he and his mother slept next to each other in an army tent. This is how the family spent every summer vacation.
Education
Having moved to St. Albans, Stephen's parents enrolled him in a girls' school. Despite this name, boys under ten years of age were also taken there. The child had just finished his first trimester when dad was sent on another long expedition to Africa. Mom decided to spend this time with her three children with her friend on the Spanish island of Mallorca. There, Stephen was taught by the teacher of William, the son of his mother’s friend.
Stephen received his further education at a regular school in St. Albans. The class was very capable. Hawking's academic performance was in the middle of the class rating, yet for some reason his classmates nicknamed him Einstein. Stephen was friends with the guys in the class, they often had arguments on various topics, but he was especially interested in the origin of the Universe.
Towards the end of school, Stephen decided to connect his life with mathematics and physics. The father did not like this decision; he wanted his son to develop in a medical direction. But the guy didn’t like either chemistry or biology. He was most fascinated by astronomy and physics, he wanted to know where people came from, why they were on this planet, he dreamed of comprehending the depth of the Universe.
In 1959, Hawking began his studies at Oxford University. Many of the guys in his year had already served in the army and were older than Stephen, so at first he felt lonely. But then, to make friends, he joined the rowing club as a coxswain.
Stephen received his BA from Oxford University in 1962 and graduated from Cambridge University in 1965.
Scientific activities
After graduating, Stephen was engaged in scientific research at the following higher educational institutions: Cambridge University, Institute of Theoretical Astronomy, Institute of Astronomy. He worked at the department of theoretical physics and applied mathematics, taught the theory of gravity, and taught mathematics and gravitational physics at universities with the rank of professor.
He received several scientific degrees, positions and titles:
- Caltech Fellow;
- Fellow of the Royal Society of London;
- Lucasian Professor at Cambridge University.
The most influential theoretical physicist of our time made the following discoveries:
- described black holes using thermodynamics;
- developed a theory of black hole evaporation due to a phenomenon called “Hawking radiation”;
- put forward the idea of such a concept as “small black holes” with a mass of billions of tons and a volume of about a proton;
- put forward a version that microscopic black holes are a source of practically unlimited energy;
- he is one of the founders of quantum cosmology.
Hawking is an active popularizer of science. His books have been published and have become bestsellers:
- "A Brief History of Time";
- "Black holes and young universes";
- "The World in a Nutshell";
- "The Brief History of Time";
- "George and the Secrets of the Universe" (for children).
Scientific documentaries with his participation were released on television:
- "Stephen Hawking's Universe";
- "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking";
- "The Grand Design according to Stephen Hawking."
For his achievements, Hawking was awarded many medals, orders and prizes in the field of science.
Disease
Even in his last year at Oxford, the guy began to feel that he was becoming clumsy. One day he fell down the stairs and then went to the doctor, but he brushed him off with the phrase: "Drink less beer."
When I was already studying at Cambridge, while skating on Christmas Day, I fell and could not get up. Stephen's mother took him to the family doctor, and after his 21st birthday was celebrated, the guy was admitted for examination. Doctors made a disappointing diagnosis - amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and suggested that he had about two and a half years to live.
Everything changed in his life then. When you know that the end is very soon, you look at the world with a completely different look, you still want to do a lot.
Fortunately, the doctors were wrong; Stephen will soon be 75 years old. Yes, the disease led to paralysis, he is in a wheelchair, but alive.
He suffered another complex illness in 1985; after pneumonia, Hawking underwent a tracheostomy and was no longer able to speak. Friends bought him a speech synthesizer and installed it on his wheelchair. In Stephen's entire body, only the facial muscle of his face remains mobile; opposite it is a sensor, with its help Hawking controls the computer and communicates with the world.
Despite such a serious illness, in 2007 Hawking flew in a special plane in zero gravity, and in 2009 he was going into space, but the flight did not take place.
Personal life
Stephen married for the first time in 1965 to Jane Wilde, whom he met at a party. They had three children - son Robert in 1967, daughter Lucy in 1970 and son Timati in 1979.
Over time, the relationship between the spouses deteriorated, and since 1990 they began to live apart.
In 1995, Stephen's second wife was his nurse Elaine Mason. Their marriage lasted 11 years.