Dr. Stephen Hawking

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Dr. Stephen W. Hawking Isn't that amazing?

Dr. Hawking is best known for his discovery that black holes emit radiation which can be detected by special instrumentation. His discovery has made the detailed study of black holes possible.

Stephen Hawking was born in Oxford, England on January 8, 1942. At the age of 17, he enrolled at University College, Oxford. He wanted to study mathematics, but resorted to the study of physics. He pursued a Ph.D. in physics despite being diagnosed with Ameliotrophic Lateral Sclerosis while at Oxford. This disease is progressive and slowly affects the nerves supplying all muscles in the body. In 1985 he became ill with pneumonia and since that time he has required 24-hour nursing care. Through Dr. Hawking's incredible determination and with the help of family and associates, he lived to be 76 years old. Until the end of his life on March 14, 2018, he held Isaac Newton's chair as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University in England.

In 1970, Dr. Hawking began work on the characteristics of black holes. As a result of his research, it was predicted that black holes emit radiation in the X-ray to gamma-ray range of the spectrum. In the 1980s, he returned to an earlier interest in the origins of the universe and how quantum mechanics may affect its fate. He co-authored many publications such as "300 Years of Gravity" and "The Large Scale Structure of Space-time". Dr. Hawking also wrote books such as A Brief History of Time and Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays.

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Dr. Hawking predicted that black holes emit radiation which falls into the visible light range on the electromagnetic spectrum.

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