Stephen Hawking’s father worried his son ‘does not study much’, diaries reveal
Summary
Stephen Hawking’s father kept secret diaries expressing worry about his son’s lack of study and initiative during his youth. These diaries, recently accessed by biographer Graham Farmelo, reveal personal details about Hawking’s early life, family, and his battle with motor neurone disease.Key Facts
- Stephen Hawking became a famous physicist known for his work on black holes and the bestselling book A Brief History of Time.
- Hawking’s father, Frank, wrote diaries partly in code expressing concern about Stephen’s study habits and confidence while he was young.
- The diaries were part of family papers recently accessed by biographer Graham Farmelo, who decoded many entries written in Greek script.
- Frank Hawking was an expert in tropical diseases and kept a diary for over 60 years.
- The diaries provide insight into Stephen’s childhood, his illness diagnosed in 1963, and his later achievements.
- Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at age 21, which left him almost completely paralysed.
- Hawking lived much longer than expected, dying in 2018 at age 76.
- Despite his illness, he continued groundbreaking scientific work and communicated using a computer and voice synthesiser.
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