Updates from Derren Brown and the Enigma Crew

Hawking was born in Oxford, where his parents moved to escape the German Blitz on London. His website notes, in an interesting historical aside, that his birth came on the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death.

Though naturally predisposed to mathematics, young Hawking switched to physics, because University College at Oxford did not offer the discipline. He turned out to be pretty good at physics, too. From there, Hawking moved on to Cambridge to do his research in cosmology.

It was while attending Cambridge that he developed the first signs of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, the incurable neurological disease. The average ALS patient dies within a few years of diagnosis. Defying all odds, Hawking has managed to live with it for nearly five decades.

In fact, Hawking has done far more than simply “live with ALS.” Almost willfully ignoring his disability, which leaves him paralyzed and unable to speak or walk, Hawking has carved out a brilliant career as a theoretical physicist specializing in the study of the universe.

His best-seller on the subject, A Brief History of Time, helped raise public consciousness regarding the nature of the universe, its possible beginnings and its probable end.

Full article at Wired

Wikipedia entry.

Shown here is Stephen Hawking in a zero gravity flight with Captain Kirk. All of us at BT wish him a happy birthday.