Then
His prediction reshaped black-hole physics and cosmology and made abstract theory exciting to the public through “A Brief History of Time”.
Timeline of Discovery · 30 / 30
Stephen Hawking
1942 - 2018 · England
Stephen Hawking joined quantum theory with black-hole physics, predicting the radiation that now bears his name and becoming a world-famous voice for science.
- Physics
- Contemporary
Lived
1942 - 2018
Era
Contemporary
Primary field
Physics
Signature idea
Hawking radiation and singularity theorems
Their place in history
1942 - 2018
The question they asked
What happens at the event horizon of a black hole — and can black holes lose energy?
The Contribution
What this scientist actually did — precisely and plainly.
He showed that black holes emit radiation (Hawking radiation) and slowly evaporate, connecting quantum mechanics, thermodynamics and gravity in one startling prediction.
How the Work Advanced Knowledge
The tools, experiments and reasoning behind the discovery.
Despite severe motor-neurone disease, he worked with colleagues mathematically, testing how quantum fields behave near the event horizon.
Why It Mattered Then / Today
From their own moment in history to the world we live in now.
Today
Hawking radiation guides modern black-hole and gravitational-wave research, and his ideas inform the search for a theory of quantum gravity.
Important Works or Discoveries
Landmarks that carried the idea into the world.
- Hawking radiation prediction (1974)
- Singularity theorems with Roger Penrose
- A Brief History of Time
However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at.
Sources
Where this profile was verified.
Last reviewed: 2026-09-22
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