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Andrew Zimmerman Jones

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By Andrew Zimmerman Jones, About.com Guide to Physics

Hawking to Step Down from Professorship

Saturday October 25, 2008
Dr. Stephen Hawking is the most famous and recognizable living physicist in the world. Within the world of physics, he rose to prominence with his work on black holes, applying the principles of quantum mechanics to show that black holes emit Hawking radiation. This work earned him the Lucasian professorship at Cambridge University in 1979, a position once held by Sir Isaac Newton.

He rose to prominence among non-physicists with the publication of A Brief History of Time, a book which made cosmological history accessible to the layperson - including me, when I was in middle school.

On January 8, 2009, Hawking turns 67 and, according to an Associated Press article, university policy dictates that Hawking must resign this position at the end of the academic year. He will be able to continue his academic work at the university, however, which makes the term "resign" a bit of a misnomer.


Dr. Stephen Hawking
NASA

Comments

October 28, 2008 at 3:53 am
(1) S.Nandakumar says:

As a numerologist and palmist I conclude that number 8 being the fatalitic number of Hon.Stephen Hawkings which initiated his brain and nervous break down definitely will play the role of 8 as he attains his 67 th year again anumber 4 will opose number 8 and he can not not avert his destiny of retirement as he reaches 67 the number 8 playing an important role ,the malific saturn must play it role of reversiblity being born during January 8 a fatalistic number for him..Perhaps his palm print may reveal further information .
S.Nandakumar astro genetists ,Oxford astro laser physics ,uk.

November 8, 2008 at 9:11 am
(2) Amiya Sarkar says:

His contribution to science will always be remembered. Like you, I too understood and devoured his historic book,A Brief History of Time, such a great educator he was. May he continue to live healthy, and illuminate our (my) dark soul(s).

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