Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays: And Other Essays

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Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays: And Other Essays

4.0 of 5 stars 4.00 · rating details · 3,464 ratings · 75 reviews

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

THIRTEEN EXTRAORDINARY ESSAYS SHED NEW LIGHT ON THE MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE—AND ON ONE OF THE MOST BRILLIANT THINKERS OF OUR TIME.

In his phenomenal bestseller A Brief History of Time, Stephen Hawking literally transformed the way we think about physics, the universe, reality itself. In these thirteen essays and one remarkable extended interview,...more

ebook, 192 pages

Published May 11th 2011 by Bantam (first published January 1st 1990)

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Jul 25, 2012 mark monday rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: guidebooks

this surprisingly relaxed and enjoyable collection of essays by Hawking didn't make me feel one bit stupid. not one bit! and i am a real dolt when it comes to much of science in general and physics in particular. thank you Hawking for not talking down to me and presenting your rich, dense pie of ideas in a way that was perfectly palatable.

there are a couple of pleasant, unpretentious essays on Hawking's personal life and history (noticeably absent in his prior bestseller) and his general thought...more this surprisingly relaxed and enjoyable collection of essays by Hawking didn't make me feel one bit stupid. not one bit! and i am a real dolt when it comes to much of science in general and physics in particular. thank you Hawking for not talking down to me and presenting your rich, dense pie of ideas in a way that was perfectly palatable.

there are a couple of pleasant, unpretentious essays on Hawking's personal life and history (noticeably absent in his prior bestseller) and his general thoughts on life - including some amusing comments on his computer voice's distinctly american accent. and there are some fun, bitchy barbs aimed at his own personal nemeses - "philosophers of science" (...failed physicists who found it too hard to invent new theories and so took to writing about the philosophy of physics instead. They are still arguing about the scientific theories of the early years of this century, like relativity and quantum mechanics. They are not in touch with the present frontier of physics.) perhaps that sounds harsh, particularly coming from a theoretical physicist. but apparently these dastardly Philosophers of Science have been hounding him for years, simply due to his own resistance to fitting his approach and ideas into a single, known school of thought (i.e. as nominalist or instumentalist or positivist or realist, etc... most of which have absolutely no meaning to me). go get 'em, Hawking!

the above paragraph describes only a handful of the essays. the rest are almost entirely concerned with explaining black holes, baby universe, the 4 basic interactions (strong nuclear force, weak nuclear force, electromagnetism, and - the weakest of all - our old friend gravity); concepts such as "imaginary time"; the continued relevance of quantum mechanics; and especially Hawkings' pursuit of a "Grand Unified Theory". Hawkings' work (and this collection) is overtly driven by his desire to finally create this "theory of everything" - one that will at long last lay bare the inner workings of the universe, where we have been, where we are going, how it all connects and what it is all about. is there a greater goal for a theoretical physicist? i really don't know. but this drive really gave me the impression of Hawking being one of the world's Great Men, a man who contemplates the finite and the infinite on a casual basis and whose quest in life is not so much based in ego (although that is there) but in helping to raise humanity to the next level. whatever that level may be.

one might think that God has no place in all of this. well, one would be wrong. God seems to be very much on Hawking's mind. his quest is, in a way, a striving to understand 'the mind of God'. fascinating! here are some of his thoughts on this topic:

"It is now generally accepted that the universe evolves according to well-defined laws. These laws may have been ordained by God, but it seems that He does not intervene in the universe to break the laws. Until recently, however, it was thought that these laws did not apply to the beginning of the universe. It would be up to God to wind up the clockwork and set the universe going in any way He wanted. Thus, the present state of the universe would be the result of God's choice of the initial conditions.

The situation would be very different, however, if something like the no-boundary proposal were correct. In that case the laws of physics would hold even at the beginning of the universe, so God would not have had the freedom to choose the initial conditions. Of course, He would still have been free to choose the laws that the universe obeyed. However, this may not have been much of a choice. There may only be a small number of laws, which are self-consistent and which lead to complicated beings like ourselves who can ask the question: What is the nature of God?

And if there is only one unique set of possible laws, it is only a set of equations. What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to govern? is the ultimate unified theory so compelling that it brings about its own existence? Although science may solve the problem of how the universe began, it cannot answer the question: Why does the universe bother to exist?"

rather strange to find this kind of discussion within a book concerned with theoretical physics. but Hawking makes it not so strange; if anything, his mind illustrates its own kind of Grand Unified Theory. he connects so many things, without ever rambling - on a personal level, on a theoretical level, on a purely scientific level. he writes eloquently and passionately about his thoughts on God, on determinism vs. free will, on various moments in history, on so much... and on his favorite records! what an awesome mind. what a man!

he also answers this timeless question, posed by Sue from Desert Island Discs:

Sue: What would happen if you fell into a black hole?

Stephen: You get made into spaghetti.(less)

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May 24, 2012 Bart Breen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fascinating and Stimulating

Like others who have reviewed this work, I can endorse it as a stimulating and thoughtful book. It is in essence however not a coherent book with a single theme. It is a compilation of articles and as such there is much in the book that is repetitive. Hawking acknowledges this and disclaims it at the outset. Even with the forewarning I found that element to be a tad annoying.

I listened to the audio version of the book while commuting and I found it overall to be a fasc...more

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Oct 17, 2010 Bob Nichols rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

You read this collection of essays and get what you can from them. Hawking himself knows (see the last essay, actually interview, at the end of the book) that there is much the reader will not understand. Hawking says that a universe that collapses onto itself is a "singularity of infinite density," but it's not clear what about it is "infinite." He says that time/space has no boundary or edge. We understand that point as a circle and Hawking uses the earth as an example (one can travel around t...more You read this collection of essays and get what you can from them. Hawking himself knows (see the last essay, actually interview, at the end of the book) that there is much the reader will not understand. Hawking says that a universe that collapses onto itself is a "singularity of infinite density," but it's not clear what about it is "infinite." He says that time/space has no boundary or edge. We understand that point as a circle and Hawking uses the earth as an example (one can travel around the earth and back to a starting point). But that stimulates the next question, which is what is beyond the circle? While we know some sort of space lies beyond the earth, is there nothing beyond space and time and, if so, what or how does one understand "nothing"?

Hawking summarizes nicely the four forces in the order of strength, but it's hard not to wonder whether the gravitational force, the weakest of the four, actually is the primary one. Hawking says that matter in the beginning was created out of energy by borrowing from the gravitational energy of the universe (and that this energy was necessary to counter the effects of gravity, the matter tucked tightly in a pre-Big Bang scenario). Even with a glimmer of understanding, that's heady stuff. Hawking says that a collapsed star that forms a black hole is a reverse version of the Big Bang process. Matter attracts to a singularity, which seems to be some sort of ultimate gravity, not because some mysterious center point pulls matter to itself, but because matter attracts matter and the only result is a pull to some center point. There, does matter become so dense (infinite?) that it creates the explosive power ("Infinite" matter converts to energy?) necessary to create a Big Bang scenario? Do black holes explode in the same way, thereby helping to perpetuate the cyclic nature of the universe? If matter and energy are equivalent (Hawking doesn't describe how speed of light fits into Einstein's formula) and if gravity is matter attracted to itself, what creates the attraction and how does this relate to energy? Understandably, these speculative questions, more fun than frustrating, may make a professional physicist wince.

In one essay Hawking attempts to bridge physical laws and human behavior. He says the fundamental laws of science cannot be used to deduce human behavior. Yet, it's fair to wonder. Are not the four forces termed "interaction" (which includes gravity that, while often talked about as an attractive force, involves a critical distance where another mass resists being attracted). Are not humans matter and are not human relationships with each other and the world characterized by attraction and resistance? In the free will arena, Hawking seems to say that while physical laws predetermine, it is too complex to deduce whether and how humans are predetermined and, therefore, he seems to conclude that humans have some sort of free will. We know humans have a degree of choice, save for situations like genetic disease and death that make choices for us (though we try with religion and medicine). Hawking is silent on why we choose the way we do. On what basis is choice made? Does survival and well-being have a lot to do with such choices and isn't this science based? In Epicurean fashion, we seek whatever we are attracted to (need) and we resist what we are not attracted to (don't need). Is this similarity with the physical laws of the universe a coincidence?

Hawking makes a revealing, throw away, comment about Feynman resigning from the Academy of Sciences because "he hated pomp and humbug" and the Academy scientists were too preoccupied with who should be admitted to the Academy. Maybe that aside reveals that the best minds rest on animal-biological needs(survival and rank behavior related to survival) which, it is interesting to speculate, may tie into how matter relates to matter (we seek objects from the world to live; we resist threats to our life). On the whole, this is a terrific book. (less)

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Sep 02, 2010 Allison Przylepa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Hawking's charmingly down-to-earth perspective is evident throughout his personal essays in the form of witty, irreverent anecdotes that add a twist of humor into what would have otherwise read as a bland, colorless monotone.

Readers come to recognize Hawking not as the caricature of the brilliant, eccentric scientist he's been painted as in popular media, but as a man of modest and ordinary upbringing with a pragmatic world view and incredible resilience in the face of his incurable disease. Som...more

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Feb 07, 2010 Kristopher Swinson rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I picked this up as a diversion and hopeful cure for a case of insomnia, in which it was only moderately successful. Hawking seems modest enough, and certainly has a vibrant sense of humor. Indeed, his writing style is rather accessible--which made me all the more frustrated when, due to the repetitive nature from collecting these essays, I realized I still only understand quantum physics to a certain extent, even on the third reading. While he downplays the necessity of mathematical erudition (...more I picked this up as a diversion and hopeful cure for a case of insomnia, in which it was only moderately successful. Hawking seems modest enough, and certainly has a vibrant sense of humor. Indeed, his writing style is rather accessible--which made me all the more frustrated when, due to the repetitive nature from collecting these essays, I realized I still only understand quantum physics to a certain extent, even on the third reading. While he downplays the necessity of mathematical erudition (10, 35, etc.), supposedly not his actual strong suit, I obviously don't believe it's sufficient to analyze good metaphors--or parables--without sound comprehension of what lies in back of them. At least, I'm hoping that's why I can't always follow.

Thankfully, some things I can follow, i.e., "If the solar system were composed of an equal mixture of particles and antiparticles, they would all annihilate each other and leave just radiation" (60). (Yeah, duh.) Still, I have to wonder whether it's gotten to his (and the entire scientific community's) head, particularly as one lecture pondered whether they could stumble upon the coveted unified theory within the next 20 years. He is somewhat ambivalent about God, and it's nerve-wracking to hear his honest belief that we are close to knowing the mind of God (37), thereby becoming "Masters of the Universe" (ix; see 5, 47). He's not usually too antagonistic in pointing out that science cannot answer why the universe was created (19, 91, 99, 172-173), and almost giving God the throne, even if pretending to largely know how He operates (98, 128, 137).

If only he'd concede how much is sheer theory, as he often hints when stating that science is progressing to the point where earth's resources can't construct a sufficient device to test its postulates. In one place, he nearly states that constructs hard for him to imagine are not worth incorporation into theory (66); he enjoyed pointing out where Einstein overlooked something of cosmological importance. Why can't he also ever be mistaken? Orson Pratt stated in 1878, "Light, how slow! . . . Now, the Lord has powers beyond those with which we are acquainted" (Orson Pratt, JD, 19:294; see 21:258). At first, many could agree with speed greater than light. Then the theory of relativity prohibited such a notion. Now quantum mechanics allow the possibility again, something which Hawking relied upon in explaining escape velocity at the event horizon of black holes.

He sets up another scenario, except what he calls "dark matter," I call "pure and refined" matter, even "light matter" or "the light of Christ":

We can measure the speeds at which individual galaxies are moving in these clusters. We find they are so high that the clusters would fly apart unless they were held together by gravitational attraction. The mass required is considerably greater than the masses of all the galaxies. . . . It follows, therefore, that there must be extra dark matter present in clusters of galaxies outside the galaxies that we see. . . .

What could the extra dark matter be that must be there if the theory of inflation is correct? It seems that it is probably different from normal matter, the kind that makes up stars and planets. (148, 151-152)

There's excitement in, and allowance for, inquiry about the universe, but I get distrustful in men who jettison God or seem to think they know more than they do at this stage in the game. Edison freely admitted, "We don't know a millionth of one percent about anything."

As for the phenomena above, while I can see why much in historical Christianity leads to Hawking's misrepresentation of their approach to science (86), I still contend that man cannot by searching find out God, that one learns more by gazing into heaven (as permitted by God's parting the veil, not just a glance at the night sky, necessarily) for five minutes than reading all the books ever written on the subject, and that in many respects the revelations really do still offer the most beautiful answers. (For instance, with respect to gravitational governance unaccounted for by current equations, I refer you to Abraham Facsimile 2, Figures 1 through 5, which overall is curiously circular, like the one eternal round which Hawking approaches in his method for real/imaginary time bending back into itself.)

I take additional comfort in James E. Talmage's rational, albeit religious, explanation (LEJ, 21:440): "Astronomers admit that there may be many invisible worlds in space, of structure too fine and of matter too tenuous to be observed by our dull vision. These may be celestialized orbs, tenanted by celestial beings, perceptible only to celestialized senses."

I'm sorry about my impatient rant, mainly irrelevant to reviewing the book at hand. This is cutting edge and nearly as entertaining as possible for the subject matter, but I don't swallow it hook, line, and sinker.(less)

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Mar 26, 2011 Nick Vandermolen rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I feel like I liked this book. I stole it from my dad's shelf. As kid I remember wanting to read the book. Then I did, but I don't really remember what it was about. I only have memories about reading the book, not the actual content of the book. I read it a while ago. 2 years later, I'm trying to write a review about it and I remember nothing. Potentially it's because of the way I remember things, by attaching it to one of my own characteristics, or seeing myself as the character. In this case,...more

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Aug 11, 2011 G. Branden rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The preface warns, appropriately, of some duplication of material. However, this is forgivable.

I found this to be a worthy companion to (what I remember of) A Brief History of Time.

The first half of the essays are "soft" and autobiographical, and the second half "hard" and all about theoretical physics.

I found the second half more enjoyable. Hawking's celebrity status is now sufficiently great that everyone either already knows his life story, or can easily find it out.

Starting with chapter six,...more

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Feb 06, 2013 Christianne rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not a physics person, I am fond of Biology. (In Hawking's word:"I was not attracted to medicine or biology because they seemed too inexact and descriptive".) So I'm fond of an inexact science :)
But Physics seems to me the only way that Math makes sense.
This book is a sum of many essays from him between 1976 and 1992. I want to see what Hawking was thinking about.
The personal stories give a good touch.
When we get to the parts of quantum theories, lot of references of people and laws that I ha...more

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Aug 19, 2009 Lelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

one of my favourite books.

Tentang blackholes, apakah lubang hitam itu. Lubang hitam adalah planet mati yang mampat dengan kerapatan serta gravitasi tinggi. Semua yang masuk ke dalam medan gravitasinya bisa tersedot kedasarnya, bahkan dia tidak memancarkan cahaya yang terserap, sehingga yang tampak adalah warna hitam. Sebab itu disebut blackhole.

Gemintang di langit malam yang indah terlihat, bisa jadi pada saat kita pandang saat ini, adalah cahaya yang dipancarkan sekian juta tahun lalu, menging...more

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Dec 17, 2012 David rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading through his first book, I've had Hawking's book of essays on my coffee table for a few years now. Only recently, I found time to work my way through it. I found his essays pretty enlightening and the Hawking subtle humor is in full effect in some of his work. Surely, he seems a little sure of himself in his ideas, but I can't begrudge someone who is the de facto expert in his field. Although the majority of the essays deal with finding a grand unified theory of physics, the final e...more

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Jun 20, 2010 Seesen9 rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It has always fascinated me that theoretical physisist can actually examine and explore distant galaxies and solar systems and such without ever leaving our planet Earth so to speak. It seems they really can!

This collection of essays presents several interesting issues:
What is a black hole? Is it really so black?
Is it possible to travel through time and space?
Does the Universe have any boundaries?
Did it all began with the Big bang?
Why does it bother with existing at all?
Will we ever find the the...more

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Aug 20, 2009 White rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Not bad if you want a "pick me up" from the superficiality of real life. When your perspective falls into just getting through the day, this is a great distraction into what is real and what matters in the long run...not much!

Honestly, I expected to pick this book up and be taken like Hawking's A Brief History of Time. It was just a scrapbook of essays (I should read the cover before I buy!) which disordered it a bit and took away the connection that followed the first book of his I read.

Still,...more

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Dec 18, 2012 Artur Muschett rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This book was about theoretical physics in general, and it elaborated on the way the universe is shaped, and functions. It gave me an insight to the spin particles,(particles that are marked by there spinning frequency with a little fraction) and it showed me where theoretical physics is heading in general. I learned a bit about entanglement, and how it could be used for the help of man kind. I liked this book because it was written well, and Stephen Hawkings mastery of the english language is c...more

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Aug 01, 2008 Jamie rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Here's my one-word review of Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays by Stephen Hawking:

What?

That shouldn't be too surprising if you consider that a) I'm not a stupidly smart theoretical physisist, and b) Hawking doesn't really try to make the material in this collection of essays accessible to anyone else. Actually, there's some stuff near the beginning that's autobiographical, which I found interesting (fun fact: despite being stricken with the crippling Lou Gehrig's Disease, Hawking g...more

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Oct 15, 2010 Michelle rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I've liked another Hawking book better (I think I've read The Theory of Everything), but everyone who reads my reviews knows that I'm not a big fan of collections of essays from one author because I get sick of the repetition. I did like the inclusion of the Desert Island Discs interview. And I need to brush up on my physics. Can you believe I used to be able to participate in conversations about it? Now I just wonder about white holes . . .

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Sep 21, 2011 Keith Parrish rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A series of essays by Stephen Hawking, mostly taken from various lectures and interviews he has done over the years. The biographical sections were fascinating - I must admit that I did not know much about his life - and illuminating. The scientific essays were eye-crossing in their complexity through no fault of Hawking's. This material is eye-crossing, not to mention mind-blowing. One of those books that I'm glad I read but I probably won't go back to again.

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Aug 29, 2012 Larry Cunningham rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I had previously read A Brief History of Time and enjoyed that book thoroughly. I also enjoyed this follow-up, though it felt a bit disconnected and wandering at times compared to Hawking's first work for the mass market. The author, whose intellectual abilities place him in a realm I could never hope to understand, has a knack for clearly explaining impossibly complex concepts.

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Jul 26, 2011 Clint Wells added it · review of another edition

This book had many overlapping themes from A Brief History of Time but it was still very insightful. Hawking's most confusing theories deal with imaginary time and the idea that the laws of physics still existed before the big bang. Seriously could not understand that stuff. But everything else is super easy to follow. Great read.

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May 28, 2011 Kate rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: biography-memoir, astronomy, non-fiction, science, essays, physics

It was pretty interesting, but a lot of the science was difficult for a layperson to follow. Several of these difficult passages were followed by simpler explanations in different essays, so a bit of reshuffling might have made it a more rewarding read. You really get to like Hawking by reading him, though.

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May 06, 2012 Brianna rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I'm not smart enough to give this four stars - it wasn't horribly inaccessible, but because many of the essays are speeches made to science folks, I could've used more explanation in many places.

Still, a fascinating read that doesn't leave you behind so much as it stirs your interest.

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May 23, 2012 Deepak Singh rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

It's better than 'A Brief History of Time' as it was written in the form of short essays that focused on single topics and did not provide a holistic picture in every chapter! Very easy to understand and comprehend and a must read for all astro-physics lovers.

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Jan 06, 2013 Marts Kasabov rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science

Тази книга запали интереса ми по Вселената и нейните тайни. Трябва да призная, че повече от половината информация не успях да я осмисля по най-добрия начин, което ще да рече, че ще има нужда от няколко други препрочитания. Препоръчвам я на всеки!

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Dec 29, 2010 Natasha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, physics, science

A delightful group of essays. I liked the mixture of essays dealing with Stephen's life and essays dealing with physics. It was a good balance. The physics essays were easy to understand and quite informative despite being on the shorter side.

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Apr 05, 2013 Wilton314 rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-2004

Similar to his previous book A Brief History Of Time, this one is informative but heavy going. I think you really need to have an interest in this field, or a genuine need to 'find out', to get the most out of this book.

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Nov 24, 2011 Patrik rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction, natural-sciences

I liked A Brief History of Time: The Updated and Expanded Tenth Anniversary Edition a bit more -- it seemed more "non-physicist-friendly" to me. Moreover, this book lacks any pictures/diagrams, which is a pity.

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Apr 22, 2011 Rakan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 52-books-2011, science

A bunch of great essays and articles. In it Prof. Hawking talks about his life and his achievements, and a lot of other interesting science stuff.
recommended if you want to know who prof. Hawking is or want to know more about the universe.

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Nov 02, 2009 Dan Morrill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I actually think that Stephen Hawking is a good writer. This is NOT, I repeat, NOT a book for light reading. If you are gonna take it on, them expect some headaches. Well worth it I think though.

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Mar 27, 2009 Sara rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

If you're like me and oddly fascinated with books about black holes (I have been since a child), this book is seriously fascinating. And, like his other books, completely accessible.

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Aug 31, 2011 Brian Burt rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: science-physics-mathematics

Don't let the title fool you, there are actually 14 essays in this small volume. The range of topics in these essays is eclectic, spanning from Hawking's recollection of his childhood to a transcript of his appearance on BBC's Desert Island Discs (interested in which 8 records a modern genius would select?)

Unlike A Brief History of Time which was written for general audiences, these essays were delivered over a number of years and composed for appropriate audiences so familiarity of Einstein's t...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Christina knox rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

an accessible, largely personal collection of essays by stephen hawking. hawking's cyborg super genius personae really doesn't showcase what a funny guy he is.

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About Stephen Hawking

Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His parents' house was in north London, but during the second world war Oxford was considered a safer place to have babies. When he was eight, his family moved to St Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. At eleven Stephen went to St Albans School, and then on to University College, Oxford, his father's old college. Ste...more Stephen William Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 in Oxford, England. His parents' house was in north London, but during the second world war Oxford was considered a safer place to have babies. When he was eight, his family moved to St Albans, a town about 20 miles north of London. At eleven Stephen went to St Albans School, and then on to University College, Oxford, his father's old college. Stephen wanted to do Mathematics, although his father would have preferred medicine. Mathematics was not available at University College, so he did Physics instead. After three years and not very much work he was awarded a first class honours degree in Natural Science.

Stephen then went on to Cambridge to do research in Cosmology, there being no-one working in that area in Oxford at the time. His supervisor was Denis Sciama, although he had hoped to get Fred Hoyle who was working in Cambridge. After gaining his Ph.D. he became first a Research Fellow, and later on a Professorial Fellow at Gonville and Caius College. After leaving the Institute of Astronomy in 1973 Stephen came to the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, and since 1979 has held the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics. The chair was founded in 1663 with money left in the will of the Reverend Henry Lucas, who had been the Member of Parliament for the University. It was first held by Isaac Barrow, and then in 1669 by Isaac Newton.

Stephen Hawking has worked on the basic laws which govern the universe. With Roger Penrose he showed that Einstein's General Theory of Relativity implied space and time would have a beginning in the Big Bang and an end in black holes. These results indicated it was necessary to unify General Relativity with Quantum Theory, the other great Scientific development of the first half of the 20th Century. One consequence of such a unification that he discovered was that black holes should not be completely black, but should emit radiation and eventually evaporate and disappear. Another conjecture is that the universe has no edge or boundary in imaginary time. This would imply that the way the universe began was completely determined by the laws of science.

His many publications include The Large Scale Structure of Spacetime with G.F.R. Ellis, General Relativity: An Einstein Centenary Survey, with W. Israel, and 300 Years of Gravity, with W. Israel. Stephen Hawking has three popular books published; his best seller A Brief History of Time, Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays and most recently in 2001, The Universe in a Nutshell. There are .pdf and .ps versions of his full publication list.

Professor Hawking has twelve honorary degrees, was awarded the CBE in 1982, and was made a Companion of Honour in 1989. He is the recipient of many awards, medals and prizes and is a Fellow of The Royal Society and a Member of the US National Academy of Sciences.

Stephen Hawking continues to combine family life (he has three children and one grandchild), and his research into theoretical physics together with an extensive programme of travel and public lectures. (less)

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“Time and space are finite in extent, but they don't have any boundary or edge. They would be like the surface of the earth, but with two more dimensions.” — 28 people liked it

“We got through all of Genesis and part of Exodus before I left. One of the main things I was taught from this was not to begin a sentence with And. I pointed out that most sentences in the Bible began with And, but I was told that English had changed since the time of King James. In that case, I argued, why make us read the Bible? But it was in vain. Robert Graves was very keen on the symbolism and mysticism in the Bible at that time.” — 15 people liked it

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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11221591-black-holes-and-baby-universes-and-other-essays?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1355939571l/11221591.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/11221591-black-holes-and-baby-universes-and-other-essays?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays: And Other Essays by Stephen Hawking[/url]

Black Holes and Baby Universes and Other Essays: And Other Essays

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