Interview Hawking

Hawking, the giant who talks with his fingers

Author: Wang Jinyao Recommended: soulsand Article Source: Reading: 53 Time: 2005-5-26 21:46: 01

A scrawny man leans in an electric wheelchair. He raised his head with great effort. He can't write. Reading must rely on a page-turning machine. When reading literary works, he must spread out every page on a big desk, and then he drives a wheelchair to read page by page like a silkworm eating mulberry leaves.

He, Stephen Hawking, is called the greatest scientist today, Einstein.

It is such a person who has been fixed in a wheelchair by illness for more than 30 years, but his mind travels through time and space, pursuing the end of the universe and the secret of black holes; His keen intuition and firm reasoning directly challenged the traditional quantum mechanics, the Big Bang theory and even Einstein's theory of relativity, and he was widely recognized.

His popular science book A Brief History of Time is said to have sold 25 million copies worldwide and been translated into more than 40 languages.

He said he was a happy man, married at the age of 23 and had three children.

How did he do all this? How did he control his life? It is for this reason that movies about Hawking's life are very popular in the world.

Hawking, an abstruse scientist, became the idol of the public.

Hawking, who can only move with three fingers, said through one finger, I am lucky in all aspects.

In August 2002, an old British man who had been in a wheelchair for more than 30 years came to China. In the eyes of ordinary people in China, this 60-year-old man can't write or talk. He spent most of his life sitting in a wheelchair with his head tilted, which is somewhat pitiful.

Let's take a look at a scene of him in China-

In a hotel near the West Lake, Hawking put his left hand on his chest, but his right hand kept holding the button on his magic wheelchair. This must be his motor nerve center. The display screen placed in front of the wheelchair sees characters written all over the screen. Do you know how Hawking, who can't talk, was interviewed by reporters?

As early as more than ten days ago, Hawking had already got the questions raised by reporters from all over the country. At the press conference, he still needs about 1 minute to bring up an answer.

Because at present, Hawking has only one thumb left in his right hand to operate. Hawking "speaks" in this way, expressing his wisdom and humorous thoughts. In an hour, Hawking answered more than a dozen questions through an emotionless speaker.

It is said that the scene was quiet and there were applause from time to time. I wonder if there are any tears flying out at this difficult press conference.

A reporter asked him, "Mr. Hawking, do you feel lucky?" The questioner regretted it as soon as he opened his mouth. What's the problem?

Guess how Hawking replied: "I am lucky in all aspects, except suffering from' motor neuron disease'. And this disease didn't hit me hard. I am satisfied that I can still succeed in this disease. I'm really much happier now than before I got sick. I can't say it's a blessing, but it's lucky enough: nothing is worse than expected.

"A 2 1 year-old Cambridge master suddenly can't even tie his shoelaces. The doctor says you can only live for another two years. "

Hawking in a wheelchair, if he recalls his life before 2 1 year old, should be the romance of an Oxford boy:

I was born on 1942 65438+ 10/8 October, which happened to be the same day as the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death. However, I estimate that about 200,000 babies were born that day. I wonder if anyone was interested in astronomy later. When I was at school, the arrangement of Oxford physics course made it easy for universities to avoid studying hard. I like playing truant. I have calculated that during my three years in Oxford, I studied for an hour every day on average. I have the same attitude as most of my classmates: a boring mentality, feeling that there is nothing worth fighting for. The big turning point of fate happened after I went to Cambridge to study-

At that time, I had a degree from Oxford, and I went to Cambridge to study the universe with my favorite teacher. 1962 One afternoon in spring, I found it very difficult to tie my shoelaces. What the hell happened? Oh, my god.

Shortly after my 2 1 birthday, I went to the hospital for examination. ALS disease? The full name is "amyotrophic lateral sclerosis", and the British are also called "motor neuron disease". The doctor said, "This is a fatal disease that cannot be cured. You can only live for another two years. "

A 2 1 year-old boy is desperate: "How can I be so unlucky?" How did this disease happen to me? I guess I won't live to finish my doctoral thesis, so it seems that there is no point in doing research. " I was depressed for several months, drinking and listening to sad music. Later, fate and mood took another big turn, and he would tease: "Do you know? My wheelchair ran over the prince's toe. "

It's true. Later, Hawking was elected as the youngest member of the Royal Society. Prince Charles invited a group of young talents from the college to gather in London. Hawking went and liked to show off by spinning his wheelchair. Prince Charles likes this action. "As a result, my wheelchair ran over Prince Charles' toes while spinning." He said humorously, "I hope the prince's toes are still intact." "Many of my close friends have been run over by my wheelchair."

Of course, Hawking also tried the consequences of "free fall". The master of quantum gravity has repeatedly fallen from his wheelchair under the weak gravity of the earth, and even suffered serious injuries, but Hawking still "stood up".

I can't think of people like Hawking today: "Hawking's voice is particularly loud. Although it is not the voice of an officer, it is also awesome enough. "

His friend said with emotion: "We can believe that when everything he loves is lost, he is not only strong, but also great, so he brings us not only scientific wisdom, but also the most precious spirit of mankind."

Hawking's two wives: the power of love is passing.

In 2002, Hawking came to China and appeared in front of China people with his present wife. I don't know what place is left for his ex-wife in his clever brain.

"What really changed my life was my engagement to a lady named Jane Wald. Now I have a goal to live. In other words, if I want to get married, I must have a job. " Young Hawking said.

1965, 23-year-old Hawking got everything he deserved. At work, I successfully applied for a research scholarship in Cambridge, and I have enough money to spend, and I can also get a wife. In July this year, he married the lady who changed his fate. The wedding was held at Trinity Church in Cambridge. Although he can only hobble with crutches at this time, he has a doctorate, a loyal and virtuous wife and new mathematical skills that can be used in cosmology. There is still an arrogant and determined expression on his face, which shows: "I can do anything." Nothing can stop me, even if it's freezing. "

Of course, nothing can stop Hawking from having children. His family is very rich. Two years later, 1967, their first son Robert was born. 1970, my daughter Lucy is here; The second son, Teemo Xi, was born in 1979. Their father, who was in poor health, became famous.

The feeling of recalling love is sweet. 1963 On New Year's Eve, he met a young girl Wald who had a crush on him.

His ex-wife recalled:

At the New Year's party that year, I saw a young man standing in the corner next to the corner, chatting about his cosmology research in Cambridge. His story is so vivid that he burps when telling jokes and can hardly breathe. Many of his jokes are mocking himself.

Later, my friend asked me, "Have you ever heard of Hawking? He always walks unsteadily and can't even tie his shoelaces. They said he might ... only live for two or three years ... "

I was shocked. It's hard to imagine that a person just a few years older than me should face the prospect of death!

He looked happy when he saw him again. We went to the theatre together.

The road to true love is really bumpy. He may think that my appearance is to rub salt in his wound. He hardly admitted it and refused to talk about his illness. He concealed his hostility and sense of loss, as if he were deliberately preventing me from further contact with him. But it's too late. I can't get rid of it. Finally, on a rainy night in Cambridge, he finally proposed to me in a low voice-that moment changed our lives.

When someone reminded me to know more about his illness, I replied, "I love Hawking very much, and nothing can stop me from marrying him. I am willing to cook, wash clothes, go shopping and do housework for him, and give up my previous lofty aspirations. Because compared with the challenge in front of me, that ambition is now insignificant. "

The first week of a harmonious and happy marriage is fleeting. One day, he was ill, and his harsh cough echoed throughout the room until the windows pattered and the cold wind responded to the panicked cry. I'm at a loss.

Wind and rain accompanied for decades, until 1990 peaceful divorce. At that time, Hawking was already a celebrity who could always be recognized when walking on the road. It is not easy to be the wife of a disabled celebrity.

His ex-wife said, "A nurse named Mei Sen gradually became an important person in his life, because his professional training enabled him to notice Hawking's every whim. When I received a letter from Hawking saying that he planned to live with Mei Sen, I knew that a life was coming to an end. 1990 In May, four months after we went through the divorce procedure, he got married. I wish him all the best. Two years later, I have a home again. "

"Nothing can deprive you of the right to love." The 60-year-old Hawkin pointed out.

The topic of his speech in Beijing is The New World of Film. Can you understand this profound topic? But Hawking's love story is known to many ordinary people in China.

Black Humor and Black Hole Theory in A Brief History of Time

Hawking's trip to China in 2002, his popular science book A Brief History of Time, started a new round of popularity in China. Can ordinary readers like you and me read A Brief History of Time? Here is a humor about a brief history of time.

An American businessman read Hawking's A Brief History of Time with relish on the plane. An old man next door said with some surprise, "Can you understand this book? I don't understand. "

"Can't you read such an interesting book?" Cried the businessman. So I gave this old man a warm explanation.

Finally, when he remembered to ask the listener's occupation, the old man replied modestly, "I am an academician of the Soviet Academy of Sciences."

Indeed, books that even academicians of the Academy of Sciences could not understand made Hawking aware of the problem. In 2002, Hawking said in China that he would rewrite this book so that even children as young as 12 could understand his time research results. In western developed countries, this book is on the shelves of almost every household.

A Brief History of Time is my first scientific work written for the public. But later, I found that it was not necessary to write so complicated, so I was going to change it to a youth version for everyone to see. It will take about a year for this book to meet you. "Hawking said.

If Hawking is famous among the public, it is because he finished A Brief History of Time in 1998. Then Hawking's fame in cosmic science began with his research on black holes.

1 1962, 20-year-old Hawking chose to study applied mathematics and theoretical physics at Cambridge University in order to follow the famous cosmologist Huo Yier as a research tutor. However, the school arranged for him another famous teacher, Dennis Siama, an authority in the field of relativistic cosmology.

Studying in Cambridge undoubtedly gave Hawking a high starting point. A year later, he dared to question Professor Huo Yier's theory and caused a sensation. 1965, when he was 23 years old, he published his doctoral thesis "Singularity Theory Applicable to the Universe".

1967, his eldest son Robert was born, and Hawking began to study the singularity theorem of black holes. A few years later, the large-scale spatio-temporal structure he co-authored became a classic of gravitational physics. On March 1974 and 1 Sunday, he published a paper in the authoritative magazine Nature, expounding his new discovery that black holes are radioactive. This discovery is regarded as the most important progress in the field of theoretical physics for many years, and his paper is regarded as "one of the most profound papers in the history of physics".

Honor followed. 1974 was elected as the youngest member of the Royal Society, the oldest academic organization. 1978, Hawking won the Einstein Prize, the highest achievement award in the field of theoretical physics in the world. From 65438 to 0979, at the age of 37, he served as Professor Lucasian of Cambridge University. Hawking was proud that Newton had held this position in the past.

Later, Hawking in a wheelchair and his collaborators put forward the theory of "open expansion", which gave a new explanation to the origin and destination of the universe. From the singularity of BIGBANG to the radiation mechanism of black holes, Professor Hawking, who can only speak with his fingers, has contributed to the development of quantum cosmology.

"Hawking is a British astrophysicist with great talent and perseverance. He used mathematical tools to demonstrate the big bang theory of the formation of the universe, making this theory a generally accepted theory about the formation and development of the universe. " He won the reputation of "the most outstanding theoretical physicist in the world after Einstein".

I think the real universe is more attractive than the movie Star Wars.

In 2002, Hawking said in China: "I found the real universe more attractive than the movie Star Wars."

He encouraged more outstanding young people in China to devote their lives to the seemingly boring theoretical physics and astrophysics research. The 60-year-old wise old man said: "I hope young people will embark on this road." If you want to go this way, I suggest you learn theoretical physics first. I find physics and cosmology very exciting. It is like the voyage of a planet, bravely marching into unconquered areas. "

"I can explore black holes in my mind and enter the farthest place in the universe. My suggestion is that if you want to go into space, go into physics. " Hawking spent a long time typing this text on the spot with his fingers. Hawking has paid too much from a British youth who is interested in the universe to a famous scientific superstar. His outstanding scientific achievements in exploring the space-time of the universe, coupled with his strong perseverance in overcoming rare diseases, have also made him one of the most legendary scientists in the world today.

Hawking won the respect beyond scholars' groups and national boundaries, and even the Pope knelt down to talk to Hawking.

This is a widely circulated story. Hawking, 40, attended a cosmology conference in a wheelchair. The meeting was held in the Vatican, and the papal academy of sciences, which has a different view from the traditional scientific community, hosted a cosmology meeting. Hawking's cosmology speech is naturally inconsistent with the "cosmology" of religious concepts. One day at the meeting, the Pope, who rarely appeared, came forward to welcome guests from all over the world. The Pope is sitting in a high chair. Guests enter from one side of the platform, kneel before the Pope, say a few words lightly, and then leave from the other side of the platform. Hawking's turn. He got on the platform in a wheelchair. The man who talked about "boundless cosmology" the other day also suggested that those who created the universe without a creator should face the leaders of Christianity. For Christians, the Pope is the representative of God on the earth. With everyone watching, the Pope left his seat and knelt down, making his face level with Hawking's. The two started talking, which took longer than others. Finally, the Pope stood up, dusted off his robes and said goodbye to Hawking with a smile. Hawking's wheelchair slowly sailed to the other side of the platform.

His other book, The Universe in the Shell, was completed on 200 1. In this companion piece of A Brief History of Time, Hawking quoted a line from Shakespeare's Hamlet: "Even if I am locked in a shell, I still think I am the king of infinite space."

Hawking's experience tells us that it can't be disease or anything else that binds you to think. The only possibility is yourself.