Hey Dan,
You may have heard the name Stephen Hawking here and there over the years. As a science geek, I’ve always been fascinated by his groundbreaking work theorizing about the origins of the universe. And I find his incredible perseverance despite disability downright inspirational.
Although Hawking‘s exact IQ will remain a mystery since he refused standardized tests, experts estimate it was a staggering 160. Some call him the smartest person ever. But regardless of any single number, Hawking clearly possessed an exceptionally gifted mind that helped revolutionize physics and cosmology.
Let me walk you through why experts put Hawking in the genius category, his major scientific accomplishments, and the technology that let him communicate complex ideas despite ALS taking his speech and mobility.
Why Experts Believe Stephen Hawking‘s IQ Rivaled History‘s Greatest Minds
Hawking toujours dismissed questions about his intelligence quotient. But his academic record and game-changing publications left little doubt among science historians about the power of his intellect.
After relatively mediocre grades as a child, Hawking tore through college. He earned a BA in physics from Oxford and became a standout PhD candidate in cosmology at Cambridge. Respected IQ researcher Arthur Jensen estimated Hawking‘s IQ at 160 based on such achievements.
But Hawking’s brilliance fully blossomed conducting theoretical physics research. His work shocked academics by showing that black holes allow some particles to escape. Fellow super-genius Albert Einstein had instead argued that not even light escapes black holes‘ gravitational pull!
Hawking Radiation: When His Revelations About Black Holes Stunned the Science World
What launched Stephen Hawking to science stardom involved his calculations hypothesizing that black holes emit some radiation. This radiation came to be called Hawking Radiation.
Here‘s a quick Black Hole 101 primer before explaining his revolutionary findings:
● What Are Black Holes? Black holes form when massive stars collapse. Their gravity grows so intense not even light can escape beyond its "event horizon" boundary. Hence the name black holes.
● Accepted Physics Pre-Hawking. The dominant scientific view was that black holes trap everything. Matter gets infinitely compressed at their centers into singularities following Einstein‘s theory of general relativity.
But Hawking combined quantum theory with Einstein‘s relativity into a Quantum Field Theory model. His equations suggested black holes should release some particles, now called Hawking Radiation.
Fellow physicists initially pushed back hard against Hawking‘s idea. But over time, mounting evidence confirmed Hawking got it right! Even Einstein missed this, making Hawking‘s IQ estimations look more and more valid.
Unraveling the Origins of the Universe: Hawking‘s Big Bang Theories
Hawking also evolved cosmology‘s understanding of our universe‘s beginnings. His work built upon Einstein‘s equations indicating that at extremely high densities, physics breaks down approaching the Big Bang "singularity."
But Hawking saw it differently. If we can‘t define events before the Big Bang, then he reasoned time itself must begin there. This aligned with evidence showing time dilates approaching immense gravitational densities like black holes.
So Hawking deduced a singularity causing the Big Bang couldn‘t exist. Instead, the Big Bang marked the definite origin point for all space-time in our universe!
Hawking combined intellect, creativity and perseverance to advance physics despite battling ALS for over 50 years. Image: NASA
Defying the Odds: How ALS Didn‘t Stop Hawking From Transforming Physics
Making Hawking‘s achievements even more remarkable was conducting this groundbreaking research while battling Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
ALS tragically paralyzes movement and eventually breathing and swallowing. Yet despite facing this grim diagnosis at just 21 years old, Hawking lived until 76!
As you can imagine, his disability might have ended another scientist’s career. But he revolutionized theoretical physics while confined to a wheelchair and robbed of speech. Clearly Hawking more than overcame adversity thanks to his brilliance and persistence.
The Technology Allowing a Paralyzed Hawking to Continue Communicating
Obviously losing one‘s vocal ability poses challenges for a researcher expected to lecture and publish. So how did Hawking continue his work?
Hawking’s Communication Timeline
| Year | Method | Words per minute |
|---|---|---|
| 1985 | Spelling card | Extremely low |
| 1997 | Clickable speech computer | 15 wpm |
| 2008 | Cheek switch using facial twitches | Declining |
| 2014 | Intel speech system using predictive text | Over 10X faster |
Hawking initially used a spelling card in 1985 after losing speech due to a tracheostomy. But communicating letter-by-letter proved painfully slow.
By 1997, Hawking upgraded to a clickable speech computer that sensed his limited hand movements. This system empowered him to "talk" at 15 words per minute on average.
As Hawking’s motor neuron disease advanced, he lost reliable hand control by 2008. Engineers then created a cheek switch for selecting letters using only facial twitches.
Finally, Intel engineers designed Hawking an advanced interface applying predictive text algorithms starting in 2014. Their system increased his communication rate tenfold to over 150 words per minute!
So despite losing all independent mobility, Hawking discovered ways to keep lecturing on physics until just a few years before he died. His persistence surely owes thanks to both exceptional intelligence and creativity cultivated over decades confined to a wheelchair.
While defining or measuring intelligence qualitatively has limitations, Stephen Hawking‘s achievements leave no doubt. His groundbreaking publications on black holes and the origins of the universe redefined modern physics. That he advanced cosmology‘s boundaries while locked inside a failing body testifies further still to the legendary power of Hawking‘s intellect.
And Stephen didn‘t just solve abstract problems—he compelled millions to contemplate their place among the stars through bestselling books like A Brief History of Time. Hawking devoted his genius not solely to quantifying cosmic phenomena, but also conveying his passion for understanding space and time accessibly.
So by contributing such profoundly to physics itself and humanity‘s shared curiosity, Hawking surely passes the bar for being considered among history‘s most brilliant scientific minds. Even if determining a definitive "smartest person ever" proves impossible, estimating his IQ around 160 seems pretty reasonable!
Let me know if you have any other questions about Hawking‘s theories or his incredible personal story overcoming disability while revolutionizing science. Chat soon!
