Tuesday, October 28, 2008


Stephen Hawking: (1942- present)
British theoretical physicist. He has made what are regarded as the most important discoveries about gravity since the German-born physicist Albert Einstein invented general relativity, the modern theory of gravity, in 1915. Hawking's work supports the theory that the universe began in a big bang. Hawking is probably best known for his theories about black holes—invisible bodies in space with such strong gravitational force that not even light can escape them (see Black hole). Hawking has used the field of physics called quantum mechanics to show that a black hole nevertheless gives off particles and radiation until it eventually explodes and disappears. He continues to work on combining quantum mechanics and gravity in a single theory that would explain the origin and structure of the universe (see Quantum mechanics). Hawking's books A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes (1988) and The Universe in a Nutshell (2001) became best sellers.


Sources: http://www.worldbookonline.com/student/article?id=ar248880&st=stephen+hawking

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