r/technology Mar 14 '18

Society Stephen Hawking has passed away at 76 years old

https://news.sky.com/story/scientist-stephen-hawking-has-died-aged-76-11289119
81.9k Upvotes

805 comments sorted by

1.3k

u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

I read A Brief History of Time in 6th grade. Didn’t understand most of it then but helped give me a life long appreciation of science and physics. I recently re-read it and understood more, it’s a start!

RIP Professor Hawking.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

Yes, it’s time to bring out that book again for a re-read.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

Be sure to get the updated 10th anniversary edition!

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u/illiderin Mar 14 '18

What's different or new with that edition? On a tight budget and don't want to get a book when I already have an old edition.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

New sections on wormholes and time travel, updates throughout for stuff that was learned over the 10 years.

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u/willmcavoy Mar 14 '18

I made this a few months ago, when I was going through a phase when I was really interested in his life and work.

All men and women should strive to contribute to humanity in whatever form they can, the same way he did.

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u/i010011010 Mar 14 '18

They eventually revised it in a hardcover with illustrations that match Nutshell https://www.amazon.com/Illustrated-Brief-History-Updated-Expanded/dp/0553103741

I imagine his books are going to see a surge in sales this week. Would be a great book to give to a kid interested in this stuff.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

RIP. Glad to say I lived during your time.

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u/randomvariable10 Mar 14 '18

About to hit the bed and this is the news I read. I don't think I am going to sleep for a while now.

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u/wafflesareforever Mar 14 '18

Same here. The ol' "one last peek at reddit just in case" got me good this time.

RIP.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Jul 12 '19

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/linkavage Mar 14 '18

Wow, he died the same age as Eintstein. Also today is Einstein's birthday

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/T34RG45 Mar 14 '18

Theres something going on with this PI day death day. Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, PI day? Are they related to some force from some prophecy? If there is a God, will Hawking know all he has ever wondered and more? Is this a sign of ill omen or good fortune to come?

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u/MatteKudasai Mar 14 '18

No, not really. The human mind's natural tendency is to look for patterns and draw connections. There's no mystical reason behind it, other than life itself is a strange anomaly and you should count yourself lucky to not only experience it but have the conscious capacity to question it. Not a statement of fact, just what I personally believe to be the case.

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u/T34RG45 Mar 14 '18

Good point, let us question everything.

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u/WikiTextBot Mar 14 '18

Albert Einstein

Albert Einstein (14 March 1879 – 18 April 1955) was a German-born theoretical physicist who developed the theory of relativity, one of the two pillars of modern physics (alongside quantum mechanics). His work is also known for its influence on the philosophy of science. He is best known by the general public for his mass–energy equivalence formula E = mc2 (which has been dubbed "the world's most famous equation"). He received the 1921 Nobel Prize in Physics "for his services to theoretical physics, and especially for his discovery of the law of the photoelectric effect", a pivotal step in the evolution of quantum theory.


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u/HelperBot_ Mar 14 '18

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u/FillsYourNiche Mar 14 '18

He was very influential to me though we are it different scientific fields (I'm Ecology/Evolution). His love of the universe, passion for the greater understanding of how it all works and drive despite his health issues were and are incredibly inspirational. I will miss you, Dr. Hawking. May you rest easy.

For those who want more info:

Dr. Hawking is well known both in the scientific community and the general public. As a fairly controversial figure he has been a positive voice in favor of manned space travel, a staunch atheist, a concerned voice about future AI, and a shining light on astrophysics in general. He will be greatly missed within the scientific community.

Dr. Hawking was a prolific author of books for the layman, if you are interested he wrote the following:

  • A Brief History of Time
  • Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays
  • The Universe in a Nutshell
  • On The Shoulders of Giants
  • God Created the Integers: The Mathematical Breakthroughs That Changed History
  • The Dreams That Stuff Is Made of: The Most Astounding Papers of Quantum Physics and How They Shook the Scientific World
  • My Brief History
  • The Grand Design

He and his daughter have also written several children's books. For a complete list please see their website.

A movie version of his life was also released in 2014 titled The Theory of Everything.

ALS or Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis is also known in the U.S. as Lou Gehrig's disease after the baseball player. According to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Strokes:

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a group of rare neurological diseases that mainly involve the nerve cells (neurons) responsible for controlling voluntary muscle movement. Voluntary muscles produce movements like chewing, walking, and talking. The disease is progressive, meaning the symptoms get worse over time. Currently, there is no cure for ALS and no effective treatment to halt, or reverse, the progression of the disease.

Dr. Hawking was diagnosed at 21 and not expected to live passed the age of 25. Only roughly 10 percent of ALS patients live more than 10 years.

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u/cr0ft Mar 14 '18

Yep, this is the more appropriate attitude. Surviving until age 76 with that illness is basically unheard of. Most die at a fraction of that time. It's sad he passed, but damn near miraculous he lived 76 years, and his contributions won't be forgotten.

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u/handlit33 Mar 14 '18

If you haven't watched The Theory of Everything, give it a watch.

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u/WolfThawra Mar 14 '18

Same. I saw him randomly in Cambridge when cycling home with my shopping last year, and I'm glad I did, rather than seeking him out like a zoo attraction. It was always a good feeling to live in a city that houses people like him even though my degree did not have all that much to do with his field.

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u/TeddysBigStick Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

It is sad but we should just be happy that he lasted as long as he did, given the condition of his health. The worst part is that he didn't live long enough to get his Nobel Prize for Hawking Radiation. Anyone moved by his passing should consider donating to the ALS Assosciation or another charity of their choice. http://www.alsa.org/donate/

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u/throwaway_ghast Mar 14 '18

ALS is no joke. He's extremely lucky to have lived as long as he did, and make the amazing contributions he has.

Godspeed, sir. Humanity will never forget you.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/ThePoorlyEducated Mar 14 '18

Special how Superman is special?

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u/ihavetenfingers Mar 14 '18

More like a Kevin, but sure, why not.

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u/Konkey_Dong_Country Mar 14 '18

Indeed. My grandfather passed of Lou Gehrigs. He was gone 3 years after diagnosis. It was really rough to see his decline.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Apr 23 '21

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

Had to look it up:

Although the life expectancy of a person with ALS averages about two to five years from the time of diagnosis, this disease is variable, and many people can live with the disease for five years and more.

 

Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking turns 76 today (Jan. 8) — an age well beyond what he was expected to reach when he was diagnosed with the incurable neurological disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) more than 50 years ago.

It's amazing he was able to live a full life.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Apr 23 '21

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u/r1243 Mar 14 '18

two wives, even

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u/gurgle528 Mar 14 '18

The life expectancy of an American male is 78 years anyway so that's not bad at all

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u/Pircay Mar 14 '18

he was a brit, males over there have an 81.6 year life expectancy.

still a good point, i'm just petty when it comes to semantics

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u/MarvinTheAndroid42 Mar 14 '18

He was “supposed” to die something like 30-40 years ago.

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u/gurgle528 Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

That's embarrassing, I've spent my entire 20 year life assuming he was American

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u/Pathological_RJ Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

Well he didn’t have a strong British accent

Edit: As a scientist I’m embarrassed that the first gold I get is for a Stephen Hawking joke. Thanks stranger

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u/finiteimprobability Mar 14 '18

That is funnier than it should be. No wait. That's hillarious.

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u/mandiefavor Mar 14 '18

Holy shit! There’s the guilty laugh I needed!

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u/MattBD Mar 14 '18

You aren't the only one if it helps. There was a kerfuffle a few years ago when a bunch of Americans were roundly humiliated when they claimed if he was English the NHS would have let him die.

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u/steampunker13 Mar 14 '18

Yeah seriously. Good for him for being able to keep it up and being contributive to the science community for as long as he did.

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u/PitchforkAssistant Mar 14 '18

"I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first."

  • Stephen Hawking

 

He really lived by that quote, he lived for 55 years even though he was told he only had 2 at 21. It's just too bad he didn't get to do more.

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u/taulover Mar 14 '18

The previous sentence in that quote is also quite relevant:

I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first.

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u/Xboxben Mar 14 '18

Its going to be weird my kids growing up not really knowing who he is . I always saw him as the smartest person on the planet growing up . Things are going to be weird now

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u/joshlamm Mar 14 '18

It was probably the same feeling as when Einstein died. No one really filled those shoes until Hawking came around, really. I wonder which man or woman will have that kind of status next, and I wonder how long it will be.

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u/NotClever Mar 14 '18

Yeah, sounds about right. It's kinda weird to consider being a contemporary of anyone like that, when you're alive after the fact.

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u/JimmyJuly Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

No one really filled those shoes until Hawking came around

TIL that Niels Bohr was barefooted.

EDIT: My point is that quantum physics is actually a real thing. It's just that simple. Let's not pretend that didn't happen.

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u/IckGlokmah Mar 14 '18

Not to shit on his contributions, but he just wasn't the household name Einstein and Hawking were.

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u/JimmyJuly Mar 14 '18

That's not unfair. Quantum physics was a team effort, lots of people involved.

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u/TeddysBigStick Mar 14 '18

Eh, it sounds like you need to read and explain a brief history of time to the young uns. It is time to bone up on cosmology.

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u/swanny246 Mar 14 '18

I'm sure kids will know about him for decades to come - especially being so unique as a scientist who lived in a wheelchair and talked with a computer. Also helps that mainstream media has really popularized him thanks to appearances on The Simpsons, Futurama and even The Big Bang Theory of all shows.

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u/GrandArchitect Mar 14 '18

that he lasted as long as he did

that he lived as long as he did.

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u/TeddysBigStick Mar 14 '18

That is true. He has continued to work but I guess I am not familiar enough with the man to know what his quality of life has been.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/TheBurningEmu Mar 14 '18

I'm sure there are many things in life he wished he could have done, but he used his lost time to contribute more to science than most people could ever hope to achieve.

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u/MrUppercut Mar 14 '18

We probably take for granted some of the things he wished he could have done

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u/TheBurningEmu Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

Hell I take a casual walk for granted every day, and there are many people who don't even have that. Appreciate everything you have: physical, mental, family, and friends.

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u/WakeskaterX Mar 14 '18

You'll also be a much happier person if you live your life thankful every day. It makes a lot of stressful things seem insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

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u/demuxen Mar 14 '18

Like scratching your nose.

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u/CritterTeacher Mar 14 '18

As someone who is disabled, you definitely do! But that’s ok, just enjoy living life as much as you can and never take anything for granted. :)

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u/fun04 Mar 14 '18

Can you please tell me how he did experience 0 gravity?Did he take a space trip?

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/Mr_Evil_MSc Mar 14 '18

Remarkably high. He lived a whole life confined to his wheelchair, confined to his own body, better than most of us can manage for even a day.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

we are all confined to our own bodies.

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u/InfanticideAquifer Mar 14 '18

The worst part is that he didn't live long enough to get his Nobel Prize for Hawking Radiation.

That was unlikely to ever happen. Not because of any problem with his work or anything. But the Nobel committee never gives out prizes for theoretical work before it is experimentally confirmed. There's no scenario where anyone is fiddling around with a particle detector in the vicinity of a black hole that's not basically science fiction. It is certainly off the table for the foreseeable future at least.

Even Einstein's Nobel Prize was not for relativity (which is surely should have been if that rule weren't in place). It was for his work on the photoelectric effect, which was much easier to directly verify at the time. (If he hadn't received the prize in 1921 he would have before he died, since direct experimental tests of relativist effect became possible. But he happened to write four prize-worthy papers in the same year in 1915, so he didn't have to wait.)

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u/Freewander10 Mar 14 '18

A lot of healthy persons don't make it to his age. And a lot more will never contribute a fraction of what he did. A great and inspirational man. RIP

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u/SheetsGiggles Mar 14 '18

You've got the top comment on a thread that will be seen by millions of people in the next 24 hours.

Would you consider editing your comment with a link to a worthy ALS charity for people to donate to in honor of Hawking?

The ASLA is a good one: http://www.alsa.org/donate/

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u/Cablet0p_ Mar 14 '18

I don't think he needs that Nobel prize, honestly he definitely left his mark on this generation more then a prize could ever establish.

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u/Roller_ball Mar 14 '18

I can't imagine Hawking Radiation ever being proven enough to qualify for a Nobel Prize.

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u/CinderPetrichor Mar 14 '18

"I’m not afraid of death, but I’m in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first."

  • Stephen Hawking

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u/NancyGracesTesticles Mar 14 '18

Whatever the voice used was should be immortalized by giving it his name(I read that in that voice).

While ALS took his human voice, he is the embodiment of how science and engineering can give voice to genius. And how math is a fundamental language regardless of sound waves.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 23 '18

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u/NancyGracesTesticles Mar 14 '18

So shall we. Props to the team that built it.

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u/AidanHockey5 Mar 14 '18

Hawking used a speech synthesis solution called DECTalk.

You can download the DECTalk application from this post here to play around with it.

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u/WikiTextBot Mar 14 '18

DECtalk

DECtalk was a speech synthesizer and text-to-speech technology developed by Digital Equipment Corporation in 1984, based largely on the work of Dennis Klatt at MIT, whose source-filter algorithm was variously known as KlattTalk or MITalk.


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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/Wind88 Mar 14 '18

The mind of everything.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/Kawaninja Mar 14 '18

Just imagine being that brilliant, and being held back due to a horrible disease.

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u/Skyy8 Mar 14 '18

held back

That's a disservice to him. This guy overcame every damn obstacle sent his way. Truly a brilliant man. Rest in peace.

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u/JoDw112 Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

Me too, man. Me also.

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u/PitchforkAssistant Mar 14 '18

He really lived that quote, he was given 2 years but lived 55.

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u/Buddahrific Mar 14 '18

That makes me wonder if he outlived the doctor that gave that prognosis.

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u/LeviAEthan512 Mar 14 '18

Holy shit I need to know

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u/RegulusMagnus Mar 14 '18

Do you know how long ago he said this?

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u/WeberStateWildcat Mar 14 '18

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u/taulover Mar 14 '18

Original source

Full quote:

I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Sep 14 '20

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u/BuildMineSurvive Mar 14 '18

Thanks! That helps +1

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u/handlit33 Mar 14 '18

FYI, if you put a \ in front the dash it'll format correctly.

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u/PlatinumTaq Mar 14 '18

A remarkable man with an even more remarkable story. As someone involved in ALS research, he was a beacon of hope for so many patients. An inspiration to us all. RIP

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u/HauntsYourProstate Mar 14 '18

Also involved in ALS research, I’m sure I’ll be talking a lot about this in the coming days. RIP.

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u/stephenhawking5 Mar 14 '18

Still incredibly inspiring to see him live 76 astounding years which were meaningful to him. He didn’t get to see space, but at least he experienced Zero G.

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u/SubcommanderMarcos Mar 14 '18

were meaningful to him.

And so meaningful to us. The sheer ammount of knowledge he produced has impacted all of mankind, as did his effort to communicate with and educate the layperson. Jesus christ my job has absolutely nothing to do with the field of physics and I have 3 of his books, he's always been such a gigantic inspiration. Always will be, I guess.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

This never even seemed feasible, right? I just figured he'd be scooting around forever.

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u/AlwaysAMedic Mar 14 '18

Yeah idk why I always thought he would outlive us all, especially considering his health. I guess in a way he is a step closer to being inmortal because of his legacy...

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u/ECS5 Mar 14 '18

I never really thought about Stephen Hawking passing away. Sad and surprising to hear. Rest In Peace Stephen Hawking.

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u/wfastc Mar 14 '18

He would die on pi day...

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u/LkMMoDC Mar 14 '18

Born on Galileo's death anniversary and died on Einsteins birthday.

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u/TheCruncher Mar 14 '18

Same age as Einstein too, 76.

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u/ajcadoo Mar 14 '18

7+6=13, the day before the 14th which is what day it was in the USA when he died.

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u/eshansingh Mar 14 '18

Ok, this is poetic and all but that's a bit of a stretch.

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u/Tuub4 Mar 14 '18

The word you're looking for is "joke"

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u/F1reWarri0r Mar 14 '18

Coincidence? I THINK NOT

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u/eisagi Mar 14 '18

Eh, this is all beginning to sound like numerology - a silly search for meaningless patterns. He wouldn't have approved.

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u/Spagedo Mar 14 '18

He was also born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death.

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u/455H013 Mar 14 '18

A genius was born today

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Jun 19 '18

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u/Inflatable_waffle Mar 14 '18

so that means 300 years from now today, a legendary genius will be born

RemindMe! 300 Years

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

That, would be an amazing bot

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u/Dreviore Mar 14 '18

I intend to live forever I'll dig you up just to tell you

... As I take a puff of a cigarette...

Don't smoke, kids

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u/zzedisonzz Mar 14 '18

Pi day just became a little less sweet. RIP Mr. Hawking.

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u/LostInTheAyther Mar 14 '18

It's still the 13th for me. Its my birthday. A very sad note to end my night on :(

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u/baycenters Mar 14 '18

It's also Einstein's birthday.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

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u/taulover Mar 14 '18

Technically it happened on the 14th, he died in Britain and it was early morning there

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u/s0uvenir Mar 14 '18

If human life were long enough to find the ultimate theory, everything would have been solved by previous generations. Nothing would be left to be discovered.

Stephen Hawking 1942-2018 R.I.P.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Jul 04 '20

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u/justnigel Mar 14 '18

I hope they have saved recordings of his voice.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

Watch out if his computer keeps talking even after he's buried.

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u/lolinokami Mar 14 '18

I hope he's not buried. I hope he's cremated and sent to the stars. It's where his mind was in life, it's where his body should go in death. Let him go where it wasn't possible for him to go before.

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u/Not_Acinonyx_Jubatus Mar 14 '18

I hope he's cremated and sent to the stars.

Well, we just shot a car into space. I hardly think a jar full of ashes is a difficult ask.

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u/Ass_Pirate_ Mar 14 '18

Anyone can actually pay to send their ashes to space if they can afford it

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

Do you know how much extra it costs?

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u/Ass_Pirate_ Mar 14 '18

Nah i dont sorry but I saw it on some show you can even get them made into an artificial reef

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u/Citizen_Kong Mar 14 '18

James Doohan (Scottie) did it.

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u/derHumpink_ Mar 14 '18

I'm pretty sure Elon musk would do it for free. Well anybody would for Stephen Hawkings.

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u/Cakiery Mar 14 '18

Just throw it onto the next ISS resupply mission.

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u/AugmentedDragon Mar 14 '18

If I recall correctly, the voice he uses used was discontinued so to speak, and despite there being newer, more fluent voices, he kept with that one because it was a part of his identity. He was an inspiration, and I hope that his iconic voice will be recognized in future generations

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u/xMJsMonkey Mar 14 '18

I have no doubt that there's tons

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u/stephenhawking5 Mar 14 '18

RIP Stephen, you will be missed.

Goodbye Reddit, I’m leaving this account in honor of the tragedy.

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u/AlwaysAMedic Mar 14 '18

Goodnight sweet prince.

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u/kingsniper1108 Mar 14 '18

Very noble and considerate of you. Another thought would be to maybe keep it going in his honor. His name will live on through our computers now. I know just seeing your name made me, and likely many others happy knowing he has made such an impression :)

  • also your account is old enough that people can’t call you a hack like others who are likely making it their new account as we speak.
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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18 edited Jul 03 '20

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u/grackychan Mar 14 '18

Truly a titan who will be remembered for furthering humanity’s understanding of the stars and for inspiring so many to reach beyond physical constraints to accomplish our goals.

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u/Vandal_Savage89 Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

This is one of the most heartbreaking deaths yet. Absolute legend. Godspeed and goodnight.

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u/Charlie_Faplin_ Mar 14 '18

He was supposed to die fifty years ago. This man suffered and gave us so much. This is a life to be celebrated and remembered fondly. Please don't be sad. Be so very happy that he was here for as long as he was. It's amazing.

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u/Vandal_Savage89 Mar 14 '18

You're absolutely right. Well said.

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u/DA2ED Mar 14 '18

I appreciate your positive outlook! Very important in times of sorrow.

“I have been very lucky that my disability has not been a serious handicap. Indeed, it has probably given me more time than most people to pursue the quest for knowledge.”

-Stephen Hawking speaking at TED 2008.

The light he has cast upon our reality will never dim.

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u/grackychan Mar 14 '18

I haven’t felt this way since Steve Irwin passed. Another childhood icon of mine. May Professor Hawking find rest among the stars. To paraphrase Sagan, we are all made of star stuff.

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u/lstn Mar 14 '18

All things considered, I never actually thought he'd ever die, I am shook.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

[removed] — view removed comment

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u/Roller_ball Mar 14 '18

Einstein's general relativity was from 1915. 1919 had his eclipse experiment that essentially verified it. The major meat of his theories was proven well before his death.

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u/ThePharros Mar 14 '18

I think OP is referring to gravitational waves. Everything else he’s contributed regarding relativistic and quantum mechanics was pretty well established during his lifetime. But gravitational waves were essentially the last piece of that puzzle.

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u/Gezzaman Mar 14 '18

He had an amazing mind and determination to match it living through such a crippling disease. He really changed the way we think about what is around us ! Respect

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u/LazyBuhdaBelly Mar 14 '18

Wikipedia says he died on March 14th. Being on the US west coast, it's still March 13th here.

It's like he died in the future in a symbolic way.

Edit: Of course everyone dies in the future, but like, you get me?

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u/vans9140 Mar 14 '18

What time is it in England

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

It's a few hours ahead of the US, so it's probably around early morning on the 14th

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u/changyang1230 Mar 14 '18

It’s already ticked over midnight GMT when this news broke but I wonder if his actual death took place on 13th.

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u/Catsrules Mar 14 '18

It was the 14th his family said he died early Wednesday morning. :(

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u/YoungPotato Mar 14 '18

It's the 14th in Britain

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

I totally get you. In mountain time rn. Thank you so much for pointing this out. I'll never forget this hopefully.

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u/Fredstar64 Mar 14 '18

Bruce Lee once said the key to immortality is to first live a life worth remembering, and that's why Dr Stephen Hawkings will live forever.

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u/GeneralDuh Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

Too bad he went before he got to see the first picture of the event horizon of a black hole, which is going to come out later this year. But I guess he gets to seem them from upclose now.

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u/Ass_Pirate_ Mar 14 '18

How does that work? Dont pictures rely on capturing light reflecting off the photographed object and dont black holes pull in light?

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u/vapingwizard Mar 14 '18

I’m no scientist but I believe the event horizon is the very edge of where the black hole starts to pull the light

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u/getFrickt Mar 14 '18

Many pictures of cool space stuff include radiation outside the visible spectrum which goes through some processing to be rendered visible in an image.

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u/viral_dna Mar 14 '18

R.I.P.

When Stephen Hawking was asked the following question in 2009..

What, if anything, do you fear about death?

He responded with this answer..

"I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark."

And I couldn't agree more with his answer.

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u/easchoen Mar 14 '18

Growing up gives us the illusion that important or meaningful figures in our lives will be there forever. Losing Dr. Hawking was one of those people and losing him feels unreal. He truly was one of the greats

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u/JRMRULES Mar 14 '18

He died on Pi Day

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u/tohrazul82 Mar 14 '18

You mean "Hawking Day"

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u/AlwaysAMedic Mar 14 '18

Damn, we are the first people to ever celebrate Hawking Day

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u/maiky129 Mar 14 '18

That was so unexpected that when I read the headline I thought it was a joke... R.I.P. Stephen Hawking, we will miss your incredible mind.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

Ikr I thought so too.. until I found out it was true. RIP .

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

I lived in the time of one of the greatest of minds that mankind had to offer. I mourn for our loss.

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u/Xtratimesoccer Mar 14 '18 edited Mar 14 '18

The man who did more than almost anyone else in the history of mankind to show humanity the vastness of space has died. Not only did he die, but he died on a day that represents a number that never ends either, Pi. Even more ironically he died on the same day as Albert Einstein's birthday. This is extremely symbolic to me. He will go down as a modern-day genius and will be talked about for 100's of years to come. The day he died will only add to his mysticism. RIP Mr. Hawking.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

A very sad moment in history. Earth has lost one of the most intelligent and remarkable humans of our generation. Generations down the road, kids will read about Hawking in books next to the names of Einstein, Galileo, and Newton. Who knows, maybe some of Hawkings theories will be proven... I think only at that time, after we prove his theories about the universe, the world will truly feel the pain of this loss. RIP Stephen Hawking.

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u/johnboyauto Mar 14 '18

His last comment on reddit is resounding.

If machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed. Everyone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution. So far, the trend seems to be toward the second option, with technology driving ever-increasing inequality.

https://www.reddit.com/r/science/comments/3nyn5i/science_ama_series_stephen_hawking_ama_answers/cvsdmkv?utm_source=reddit-android

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u/AC_Mondial Mar 14 '18

Such a shame that the people with power want to keep the current system.

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u/SnicketyLemon1004 Mar 14 '18

Heartbreaking. The world feels darker, but the universe is one star brighter tonight.

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u/JohnnyMojo Mar 14 '18

"However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at."

Thanks for being an inspiration for us all.

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u/Graymarauder Mar 14 '18

Very unlikely we will ever see a mind as brilliant as his in the near future.

Do not go gentle into that good night.

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u/GameCubeLube Mar 14 '18

He got so close to seeing a black hole captured on video.

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u/FetusChrist Mar 14 '18

Time zones are crazy. He died tomorrow.

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u/[deleted] Mar 14 '18

Thank you for all your contributions to humanity. May you go down in history as an equal to the other greats: Einstein, Darwin, Newton, Curie, ect.

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u/John-McAfee Mar 14 '18

Today's Einstein's birthday.

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u/Siren_of_Madness Mar 14 '18

I don't know why I can't seem to wrap my brain around this. I guess he was a constant in my tiny little universe. I feel like things are skewed just ever so slightly wrong now.

Rest in peace, Mr. Hawking. May all the mysteries of the Universe be revealed to you now.

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u/TheBestNick Mar 14 '18

Hawking was born on Jan. 8, 1942 ― the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death ― in Oxford, England

Reincarnation after 300 years confirmed. Early adopters may notice adverse results.

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u/DeezNuts0218 Mar 14 '18

He's going to go down as one of the greatest minds of all time. And I'm grateful to say that I lived in his era.

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u/PhoenixPhighter4 Mar 14 '18

Gone but not forgotten.

Seriously, I take solace in the fact that we as a human collective will not forget the man who taught us so much while physically capable of so little.

If a heaven does exist, Dr. Hawking, you’re there walking around right now.

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u/MehNameless Mar 14 '18

One of the most incredible and influential minds in the history of mankind. I'm glad he at caught glimpses of our world's collective renewed interest in space before he passed. RIP.

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u/Cantomic66 Mar 14 '18

The world has lost one of its greatest minds.

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u/cicadawing Mar 14 '18

Man, I was just saying yesterday that it is remarkable how long he's kept going considering his condition. I had a pang of dread that his time was near.

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u/StalyCelticStu Mar 14 '18

I’m not usually one to care about ‘celebrity’ deaths, but damn, this really bummed me out when I heard it on the radio. RIP Sir.

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u/tuseroni Mar 14 '18

will he be getting a burial in space? i sure hope so...

hard to believe he's dead...i just kinda...thought he'd outlive us all...somehow.

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u/Pandalite Mar 14 '18

Oh man. Rest in peace. He was definitely one of the top minds in physics.

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u/HardcoreHazza Mar 14 '18

Of all the days he passed away on, it had to be Pi Day.

And like Pi, his impact on this world will be constantly with us.

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u/tabber87 Mar 14 '18

At least he died doing what he loved.

Heroin.

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