A behind-the-scenes tour of the inner sanctum of one of the world’s most prominent scientific thinkers. In 2021, The Science Museum made a once-in-a-lifetime acquisition of the contents of Stephen Hawking’s office. This book delves into that remarkable collection, using the seminal papers, items, and curiosities in his office to explain his theories and reveal more about one of the greatest minds in modern science. It’s an unprecedented glimpse into the life of the best-known scientist of modern times. Artifacts include: A Simpsons bomber jacket gifted to him following his appearance on the show A copy of Hawking’s PhD thesis: Properties of an Expanding Universe Singularities and the Geometry of Space, written at the beginning of his vital collaboration with Roger Penrose His blackboard, where he debated ideas and doodled with his contemporaries Scientific bets made with colleagues to prove (and sometimes disprove) his theories His Permobil F3 wheelchair and communications systems Hawking’s Franklin medal and his CBE "In this unique book, Roger Highfield's clear expositions of Stephen Hawking's ideas are supplemented by fascinating illustrations that convey how he lived and worked. It's a beautifully-presented celebration of Stephen's amazing life – how his insights and discoveries were achieved against heavy odds." - Martin Rees, Baron Rees of Ludlow and Astronomer Royal

Describes the life and accomplishments of the world-famous English physicist who suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

In 1963 Stephen Hawking was given two years to live. Defying all the odds, he died in March 2018 at age seventy-six as the most celebrated scientist in the world. This carefully researched and updated biography and tribute gives a rich picture of Hawking's remarkable life - his childhood, the heart-rending beginning of his struggle with motor neurone disease, his ever-increasing international fame, and his long personal battle for survival in pursuit of a scientific understanding of the universe. From more recent years, Kitty Ferguson describes his inspiring leadership at the London Paralympic Games, the release of the film The Theory of Everything, his continuing work on black holes and the origin of the universe, the discovery of 'supertranslations', and the astounding 'Starshot' program. Here also are his intense concern for the future of the Earth and his use of his celebrity to fight for environmental and humanitarian causes, and, finally, a ground-breaking paper he was working on at the time of his death, in which he took issue with some of his own earlier theories. Throughout, Ferguson summarizes and explains the cutting-edge science in which Hawking was engaged and offers vivid first-hand descriptions of his funeral in Cambridge and the interment of his ashes in Westminster Abbey. This is an amazing and revealing tribute, assessing Hawking's legacy in and out of science.

Physicist Stephen Hawking was a scientist for the modern age. He is as renowned for his theories on time and space as he is for his unique life story. Undeterred by a debilitating illness, he trained his mind to work in a new way to become the leading light in modern science. This carefully researched biography tells Hawking’s story, highlighting his scientific breakthroughs and how, despite his struggle with a degenerative condition, he became the most celebrated and inspiring scientist of his generation. A beautiful design includes striking photographs, illuminating documents, and helpful sidebars that cast light on Hawking’s intellectual achievements.

This Is The Story Of One Of The Most Remarkable Figures Of Our Time - Professor Stephen Hawking, The Cambridge Genius Who Has Earned An International Reputation As The Most Brilliant Theoretical Physicist Since Einstein. When Kitty Ferguson Approached Stephen Hawking With The Idea Of Writing A Book About Him And Asked Him To Help Her Make Certain She Understood His Theories, He Agreed To Do So And Also Supplied Her With Material About His Childhood And Life. This Book Is The Splendid Result. It Is Not A Biography Per Se. It Is Rather The Story Of One Man'S Quest To Find The 'Theory Of Everything'. In These Pages You Will Encounter A Multitude Of Amazing Paradoxes: Beginnings May Be Endings& Two Great Scientific Theories Taken Together Seem To Give Us Nonsense& Empty Space Isn'T Empty& Black Holes Aren'T Black& Cruel Circumstances Can Lead To Happiness, Although Fame And Success May Not& And A Man Whose Appearance Inspires Shock And Pity Takes Us Laughing To Where The Boundaries Of Space And Time Ought To Be - But Are Not.

New in the Little People, Big Dreams series, discover the life of Stephen Hawking, the genius physicist and author.

A Gripping Account Of A Physicist Whose Speculations Could Prove As Revolutionary As Those Of Albert Einstein... It Can Be Consulted As A Clear And Authoritative Guide Through Three Decades Of Hawking S Central Contributions To Cosmology. - Bernard Dixon In The New Statesman & Society Excellent... From The Opening Pages, Which Relate The Occasion When Shirley Maclaine Sought An Audience With Her Hero In A Cambridge Restaurant, To The Final Chapter On Hollywood, Fame And Fortune , The Book Is Well-Nigh Unputdownable... [It] Ought To Be Read Alongside A Brief History Of Time As A Kind Of Explanatory Supplement. - Heather Cooper In The Times Educational Supplement Fascinating... What Makes This Book So Rewarding Is The Way That The Authors Have Blended Their Account Of Hawking S Science With That Of His Life, Giving A Picture Of A Remarkable Scientist As A Remarkable Person. - Tony Osman In The Spectator It S Compulsive Reading, Maybe Because Hawking Towers Above It All, A Complex And Fascinating Character Who Remains Strangely Elusive: Boyish Yet Indomitable, Stubborn Yet Charming, A Private Man Revelling In Fame. - Clare Francis In The Sunday Express [Their Book] Conveys How Scientific Research Is Not Just A Dry Intellectual Pursuit But An Adventure Full Of Joy, Despair And Humour, And Fraught With The Sort Of Inter-Personal Problems And Rivalries Which Mark All Human Endeavours. - Bernard Carr In The Independent On Sunday Few Scientists Become Legends In Their Own Lifetime. Stephen Hawking Is One. It Is Good To Have This Well-Documented And Immensely Readable Biography To Remind Us That The Media-Hyped Mute Genius In The Wheelchair Is In Fact A Sensitive, Humorous, Ambitious And Occasionally Wilful Human Being. - Paul Davies In The Times Higher Education Supplement

Stephen W. Hawking, widely believed to have been one of be one of the world’s greatest minds, presents a series of seven lectures— covering everything from big bang to black holes to string theory—. These lectures not only capture the brilliance of Hawking’'s mind, but his characteristic wit as well. In The Illustrated Theory of Everything, Hawking begins with a history of ideas about the universe, from Aristotle’s determination that the Earth is round to Hubble’s discovery, more than 2,000 years later, that the universe is expanding. Using that as a launching pad, he explores the reaches of modern physics, including theories on the origin of the universe (e.g., the Big Bang), the nature of black holes, and space-time. Finally, he poses the questions left unanswered by modern physics, especially how to combine all the partial theories into a “unified theory of everything.” “If we find the answer to that,” he claims, “it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason.” A great popularizer of science as well as a brilliant scientist, Hawking believes that advances in theoretical science should be “understandable in broad principle by everyone, not just a few scientists.” In this book, he offers a fascinating voyage of discovery about the cosmos and our place in it. It is a book for anyone who has ever gazed at the night sky and wondered what was up there and how it came to be.

Here is an intimate glimpse of the greatest scientist of our day, the brilliant physicist confined to a wheelchair whose "A Brief History of Time" has become the first worldwide scientific bestseller of the century. The story of Stephen Hawking's relentless quest for the secret of the origins of the universe will change forever the way you look at the stars . . . and your place among them.

An intimate and inspirational exploration of Stephen Hawking--the man, the friend, and the physicist. Stephen Hawking was one of the most famous and influential physicists in the world. He left a mark in our culture that touched the lives of millions. His books have inspired countless scientists-to-be, and his research on the laws of black holes and the origin of the universe charted new territory. Recalling his nearly two-decades as a friend and collaborator with Stephen Hawking, Leonard Mlodinow brings a complex man into focus like no one has before. He introduces us to Hawking the colleague, for whom no detail is too minor to get right, a challenge for a man who could only type one word per minute. We meet Hawking the friend, who creates such strong connections with those around him that he can communicate powerfully with just the raise of an eyebrow. We witness Hawking the genius, who, against all odds, flourishes after he is diagnosed with ALS and pours his mind into uncovering the mysteries of the universe. Brilliant, impish, and kind, Hawking endeared himself to almost everyone he came into contact with. This beautiful portrait is inpirational and is sure to stick with you long after you've read it.