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RIP Stephen Hawking

He was brilliant. Way over my head to be sure. I remain fascinated by black holes. Much of what is said about them sounds so unbelievable.
 
The world has lost one of the truly great minds in history - seeing as he was given a few months to live when aged 22 and diagnosed (IIRC), we have been lucky to hang on to him for this long. It's almost like the universe gifted him his amazing mind but had to balance it by giving him a less-than-perfect body! Either way, it's a shame he has gone.
 
RIP Stephen Hawking.

https://www.cnn.com/2018/03/14/health/stephen-hawking-dead/index.html

“Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has maintaining a sense of humor,” Hawking said in a 2013 documentary. “I am probably better known for my appearances on ‘The Simpsons’ and on “The Big Bang Theory” than I am for my scientific discoveries.”


Considered by many to be the world's greatest scientist, Hawking was also a cosmologist, astronomer, mathematician and author of numerous books including the landmark "A Brief History of Time," which has sold more than 10 million copies.
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Great man, great mind, great sense of humor. The world has lost one of the best.
 
About 10 years ago, I had lunch with my best friend, who works for NASA, at Caltech University. We had lunch at the members club - a venerable, beautiful structure. On our way there, I joked to my friend, "I wonder if I'll see Stephen Hawking?!" - as he is a member at the club. My friend laughed, but said "He used to put in an appearance every so often, but not for some time now."

The Atheneum (name of the club) has a buffet lunch, and I went to get a plate-full. I wasn't familiar with the club at that time and was standing around with my plate, trying to see where my table was. I decided it must be behind me, so swung round, while taking a step in that direction at the same time. I walked STRAIGHT into a wheelchair, being pushed by a middle aged woman. I was SO embarrassed, I mumbled something and got out of the way as fast as I could.

I got back to our table, and my friend said "Well, you said you wanted to run into Stephen Hawking..."

And sure enough - it was him. Mr Hawking almost got a buffet lunch and a hot blond - all on the one plate.

And here's the scene of the crime. In my own defense, you can see how hard this is to navigate with a wheelchair!

The Atheneum_a.jpg
 
I need to dig out my copy of A Brief History of Time and start it again - I got about a quarter of the way in and my head hurt :lol: lol
 
OoohShiny said:
I need to dig out my copy of A Brief History of Time and start it again - I got about a quarter of the way in and my head hurt :lol: lol
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Haha I hear you @OoohShiny :lol:
My DH read it through no problem. I however didn’t finish it. Time to try again. Hope you enjoy it the second time around. :read:
 
Remarkable mind and spirit. RIP Stephen Hawking.
 
Remarkable guy and a really quick witty sense of humour unlike many drier academics.
 
Yes. An amazing mind and spirit.
 
Yes, a great mind has left us. I'm glad he chose to stay because he had a lot to give science, and apparently, to those around him.

But I don't know that he was an inspiration as much as a one-off, and a source of bemusement. I need to check if they've ever gotten a handle on what variant of ALS they think he had, because most of the time, it's pretty fast - 2-5 years. I know my mother, who died of bulbar ALS in 2 years and change, had zero interest in sticking around in anything like his condition. And most people with his level of challenges, just don't or can't get the massive level of support he did, and exit early.
 
ksinger said:
Yes, a great mind has left us. I'm glad he chose to stay because he had a lot to give science, and apparently, to those around him.

But I don't know that he was an inspiration as much as a one-off, and a source of bemusement. I need to check if they've ever gotten a handle on what variant of ALS they think he had, because most of the time, it's pretty fast - 2-5 years. I know my mother, who died of bulbar ALS in 2 years and change, had zero interest in sticking around in anything like his condition. And most people with his level of challenges, just don't or can't get the massive level of support he did, and exit early.
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Karen, I read a long while back and don’t remember the source, that Stephen Hawking suffered from a very rare variant of ALS that is very slow moving. Which explains his survival for all these years living with this disease.

ETA: not the original source I read but this link might be informative.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stephen-hawking-als/
 
missy said:
Karen, I read a long while back and don’t remember the source, that Stephen Hawking suffered from a very rare variant of ALS that is very slow moving. Which explains his survival for all these years living with this disease.

ETA: not the original source I read but this link might be informative.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/stephen-hawking-als/
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Thanks Missy. This is pretty much what I've read too, so it seems that little progress has been made on the particulars beyond "very rare, slow-moving variant".

My mother's was the well-described and not slow-moving bulbar variant. It reverses the usual course of things, which is generally limb function goes first, then finally, the core breathing and swallowing functions go last. Her course was reversed, which meant she had to decide quickly if she wanted a feeding tube. The doctors kept insisting that a feeding tube would not prolong her life, and I'm not sure why, because it absolutely does, and everyone knows that. Doctors really seem to think patients are idiots. Anyway, she decided no way to that. She was very clear that she didn't want to outlast the function of her hands, having been an artist for the bulk of her life. DOING stuff was important to her, not thinking stuff. And about the time her swallowing gave out completely, her hands were starting to go too. The woman was stubborn beyond belief, and made her choice and stuck it out until the end. But it was a brutal and protracted death that I would not wish on my worst enemy. I'm glad Hawkings felt it worth it to stay, but I surely understand why most people say screw it, and decide to exit earlier rather than later. ALS has very little hope in it. In the vast majority of cases, it's just a death sentence, period.
 
ksinger said:
Thanks Missy. This is pretty much what I've read too, so it seems that little progress has been made on the particulars beyond "very rare, slow-moving variant".

My mother's was the well-described and not slow-moving bulbar variant. It reverses the usual course of things, which is generally limb function goes first, then finally, the core breathing and swallowing functions go last. Her course was reversed, which meant she had to decide quickly if she wanted a feeding tube. The doctors kept insisting that a feeding tube would not prolong her life, and I'm not sure why, because it absolutely does, and everyone knows that. Doctors really seem to think patients are idiots. Anyway, she decided no way to that. She was very clear that she didn't want to outlast the function of her hands, having been an artist for the bulk of her life. DOING stuff was important to her, not thinking stuff. And about the time her swallowing gave out completely, her hands were starting to go too. The woman was stubborn beyond belief, and made her choice and stuck it out until the end. But it was a brutal and protracted death that I would not wish on my worst enemy. I'm glad Hawkings felt it worth it to stay, but I surely understand why most people say screw it, and decide to exit earlier rather than later. ALS has very little hope in it. In the vast majority of cases, it's just a death sentence, period.
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The standard quick moving is what I have seen a little of too. It truly is one of the most awful things I could imagine. I'm sorry your mom went through that.

I keep hoping that all of the doctors involved with Stephen Hawking were able to learn some from his experience and maybe get closer to having a cure or even some useful treatment to make quality of life better for others.
 
TooPatient said:
The standard quick moving is what I have seen a little of too. It truly is one of the most awful things I could imagine. I'm sorry your mom went through that.

I keep hoping that all of the doctors involved with Stephen Hawking were able to learn some from his experience and maybe get closer to having a cure or even some useful treatment to make quality of life better for others.
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I am sure Stephen Hawking had given permission for an autopsy and hopefully valuable info will be garnered from evaluating his brain post mortem.
 
HI:

I felt sad for many reasons notwithstanding he set standards in perseverance and fortitude.

cheers--Sharon
 
His longevity is a tribute to socialized medicine in the UK and of course, to the effects of MARRIAGE, he was certainly smart enough to strive to be continuously married even though he was also a player.
 
RIP Sir.
 
RIP Stephen Hawking. He had an incredible mind and a great sense of humor.
 
missy said:
Haha I hear you @OoohShiny :lol:
My DH read it through no problem. I however didn’t finish it. Time to try again. Hope you enjoy it the second time around. :read:
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I too, attempted to read it, I got about 3/4 the way through before admitting defeat! RIP to a great visionary man who inspired so many others to simply look up and wonder....:cry2:
 
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