[Question: What do you think was the most important physics idea to emerge this year?] Stephen Hawking More Quotes by Stephen Hawking More Quotes From Stephen Hawking No one can resist the idea of a crippled genius. Stephen Hawking crippledgeniusideas We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach. Stephen Hawking alien-lifeintelligenthome The lesson of the book is that the universe is governed by the laws of science. Stephen Hawking lessonslawbook Not to leave planet Earth would be like castaways on a desert island not trying to escape...Sending humans to other planets ... will shape the future of the human race in ways we don't yet understand, and may determine whether we have any future at all. Stephen Hawking raceislandstrying It [AI] would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete and would be superseded. Stephen Hawking programmingevolutionwould-be Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Stephen Hawking creation-of-the-universegravitylaw The victim should have the right to end his life, if he wants. But I think it would be a great mistake. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope. Stephen Hawking should-havemistakethinking Without imperfection, you or I would not exist. Stephen Hawking imperfection Scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery in our quest for knowledge. Stephen Hawking torchesquestsdiscovery There are no black holes - in the sense of regimes from which light can't escape to infinity. There are however apparent horizons which persist for a period of time. Stephen Hawking horizonblacklight Obviously, because of my disability, I need assistance. But I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have traveled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity. Stephen Hawking zeroovercomingneeds I would rather be right than rigorous. Stephen Hawking mathematicsscience God abhors a naked singularity. Stephen Hawking singularitynaked Time travel was once considered scientific heresy, and I used to avoid talking about it for fear of being labelled a 'crank.' Stephen Hawking cranktime-traveltalking Religion believes in miracles, but these aren't compatible with science. Stephen Hawking believe-in-miraclesmiraclebelieve There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, [and] science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works. Stephen Hawking differenceswinningreligion It is impossible to imagine a four-dimensional space. I personally find it hard enough to visualize a three-dimensional space! Stephen Hawking fourthreespace The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers, like the size of the electric charge of the electron and the ratio of the masses of the proton and the electron .... The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been finely adjusted to make possible the development of life. Stephen Hawking fundamentalslawnumbers I'm a child myself, in the sense that I'm still looking. Children are fascinated by black holes and ask me questions. I find they soon get the idea if it is explained in nontechnical language. Stephen Hawking blackchildrenideas Unless mankind redesigns itself by changing our DNA through altering our genetic makeup, computer-genera ted robots will take over our world. Stephen Hawking makeupour-worlddna
