While many people on twitter are talking about many things from Oprah Winfrey,Entrecard, the Celtics and other things, another group of people are pouring into Twitter to talk about one of the greatest scientific minds of our time - Dr. Stephen Hawking.

Dr. Hawking was taken to hospital today after not feeling well for the last few weeks with a chest infection. Professor Hawking who is 67 is the longest living survivor of Lou Gehrig's Disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS), which is usually fatal after three years.Dr. Hawking has the distinction of having survived for more than 40 years since his diagnosis.

Dr. Hawking is a British theoretical physicist who is known for his contributions in the areas of cosmology and quantum gravity, especially in the context of black holes. He is best known for his international best seller of "A brief History of Time" I think that one of the reasons that this book became so important and well read was that his approach was to give people a viewpoint of the cosmos that everyone could understand.

To that end, he went on many tv shows to promote his thinkings including "The Simpsons". My best memory was watching Dr. Hawking on Star Trek the Next Generation. It had been talked about for weeks and many of us "trekkies " waited with glee to see this famous man be on a show that he/we all loved to watch. I can say that even though it was a short performance it was one that many of us will remember for a very long time.


Many people see Dr. Hawking as one who maybe because of his chosen subject is cerebal, tend to forget that he also has a great wit and style as is shown through these quotes:

1. ""I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image."

2. "To show this diagram properly, I would really need a four dimensional screen. However, because of government cuts, we could manage to provide only a two dimensional screen."

3. "Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales. In the end, however, I did put in one equation, Einstein's famous equation, E = mc2. I hope that this will not scare off half of my potential readers."

4. "I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road."

5. "Einstein was wrong when he said "God does not play dice". Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that He sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen."

6 "I find that American & Scandinavian accents work better with women." In response to a question about the American accent of his synthesiser.

7. “My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.”

8. "Life would be tragic if it weren't funny."

9. "My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus."

10. "Eternity is a very long time, especially towards the end."


I leave you with a few of the messages that have been pouring in all day from Twitter and from from one Trekkie to another, "Live long and Prosper" Dr. Hawking


@AlphaPie - "When one's expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have."-Hoping for the best for you, Stephen Hawking.

@pwot - Re: Stephen Hawking facts: 26. When you divide a shape into 4 you add 2 lines through the middle (adding to the .. http://tinyurl.com/cpfc6n

@rapidbi - @rapidbi My thoughts are with one of our greatest thinkers - Stephen Hawking - 'very ill' in hospital http://twurl.nl/hzlymb

@Alexndra_V - stay strong Stephen Hawking