No wonder his work has been known and recognized throughout the world. However, there might be some things we might have missed about him. Here are 13 stunning facts about Stephen Hawking you didn’t know about.
#13 Stephen Hawking’s Nickname
During his school years even after not being good in the academic studies, he was given the nickname ‘Einstein.’
#12 Received Mediocre Grades In School
As you have read before Stephen Hawking was not good in the studies in the early school life. Despite this Hawking managed to get accepted at Oxford University.
#11 Opened A Clock And A Radio
Stephen was always attracted towards the science and how the things worked. In an interview, Stephen admitted to opening a clock and radio and did not know how to put them back together.
#10 An Aversion To Biology
Stephen Hawking chose to study cosmology at the university. During that time there were not many jobs in that field still hawking decided to take Cosmology and major in Physics.
#9 Diagnosed With Lou Gehrig’s Disease
Stephen Hawking at the age of 21 was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease in 1963. The doctor attending him gave him only two years at max. Still, Hawking bet the odds and passed at the age of 76.
#8 Oxford Rowing Team
Oxford University has its own rowing team even during the times when Stephen was a student there. Stephen Hawking was on the rowing team and served as the coxswain for the school’s team.
#7 The Boundless Universe Theory
Hawking made one of the greatest discovery that he served with Jim Hartle. They came up with the theory that universe has no boundaries in 1983. They managed to combine quantum mechanics with general relativity to show that the universe is a contained entity and yet has no boundaries.
#6 Discovered Black Holes Emit Radiation.
Stephen Hawking is considered as one of the greatest mind of all time and the greatest scientist of our time. Stephen is the one to discover that black holes emit radiation.
#5 Lost A Bet On Black Holes
In 2004, Stephen admitted to losing a bet to a fellow scientist about black holes. The bet was made in 1997. Well to understand the bet you might have to understand black hole first.
#4 Numerous Awards And Distinctions
Stephen Hawking in his long career in physics has managed to achieve many awards and distinctions. In 1974 Stephen was inducted into the Royal Society. In 2009, Hawking was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the United States’ highest civilian honor.
#3 The Theory Of Everything
On the life of Stephen Hawking and his first wife Jane Hawking, a movie was made named The Theory Of EveryThing. The movie has been a great success and managed to get nominated for 5 Oscar, 4 Golden Globe, and 10 British Academy Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards.
#2 A Children’s Book Author
We all know Stephen Hawking is a writer and has written one of the famous book “A Brief History of Time”. The book has sold 10 million copies in 20 years. You might not know Stephen and her daughter Lucy Hawking have written “George’s Secret Key to the Universe” a children book.
#1 Zero-gravity Flight To Save the Human Race
Stephen Hawking at the age of 65 got to take the ride of a lifetime. Stephen Hawking experienced zero-gravity and left his wheelchair for the first time in four decades. Fyi Stephen Hawking also believed in the existence of Aliens.
