Stephen Hawking might be dead, or might have just entered a black hole

Died on 3.14

I saw this before going to bed last night. I feel like I’ve crossed over the event horizon of a black hole, and I’ve been crushed inside.

If I had a choice of meeting any living person, Professor Hawking would have been that choice. He’s been such a huge influence and inspiration, both in his refusal to let ALS ruin his life’s work, and his ability to teach. His passion for astrophysics led to my own. The first time I read A Brief History of Time, I was hooked. I’ve loved astronomy since I was a kid, looking through my first telescope; he made the complexities of theoretical physics approachable for the non-scientist.

Mankind has lost a truly wonderful mind. Thankfully his books and countless lectures will continue to enlighten and inspire future generations long after we’re gone. 

Hungry5 posted:

Died on 3.14

An incredible individual, obviously.

I have very mixed feelings about him as I do with many who become extremely famous and then work hard to ensure they stay that way while feigning a sort of modesty. It's the dilemma of any public figure who decide they just must push their point(s) of view, influencing discussion and views of their posterity, and supporting themselves and earning a living. He also was just too certain that his point of view was the correct one. For my tastes.

He was rather outspoken in his non-belief. Indeed rather stubborn about it.

I am no Nobel laureate just a retiree posting on a board.  But it seems to me you can't quantify everything no matter how you try. You have to admit there will certainly always be unknowns, be they known or not known.

For me Einstein's outlook as well as Niels Bohr's and Richard Feynman's was more refreshing, realistic and humble.

Requiescat in pace.

We all lose when the geniuses amongst us pass on.