Scientist Stephen Hawking 'very ill'

CNN ^ | 4/20/2009

[SeekAndFind]

Scientist and author Stephen Hawking is "very ill" and has been hospitalized, according to Cambridge University, where he is a professor.

Hawking, 67, is one of the world's most famous physicists and also a cosmologist, astronomer, and mathematician.

Wheelchair-bound Hawking is perhaps most famous for 'A Brief History of Time.'

Hawking has Lou Gehrig's Disease (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS), which is usually fatal after three years. Hawking has survived for more than 40 years since his diagnosis.

A Cambridge University spokesman told CNN: "Professor Hawking is very ill and has been taken by ambulance to Addenbrookes Hospital in Cambridge."

Professor Peter Haynes, head of the university's department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, said: "Professor Hawking is a remarkable colleague, we all hope he will be amongst us again soon."

[SeekAndFind]

[Crazieman]

I just finished one of his books recently. :(

[GreyFriar]

ping

[Crazieman]

Ping

[SeekAndFind]

I have heard that in recent years, Stephen Hawking has begun attending church regularly. I don’t know what that means. He refuses to discuss anything to do with the “G word”.

[AxelPaulsenJr]

As they say: “There are no atheists in fox holes”, when the time draws near the wise start to plan ahead.

[brytlea]

Well, that’s sad. He’s a brilliant man.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

It boggles my mind that he’s lasted as long as he has suffering from ALS. I’ve known 2 people with it...and they were gone w/in 5 years after diagnosis.

[brytlea]

Well, I’m glad to hear that. I had thought he was an atheist, but I’m probably misremembering. At any rate, I wish him well, and I hope he has made his peace with God if he doesn’t. I hope that for everyone tho.

[rwfromkansas]

wow. I am stunned he is still alive. Thought he died years ago.

[llevrok]

When he “goes”, who will provide answering machine voices?

[NoPrisoners]

A prayer for Stephen, a personal hero, even if he is still undecided.

[newfreep]

“Can...we...play...a...game?”

[PGR88]

So he may soon go to meet his non-maker.

[mysterio]

Prayers for Stephen Hawking.

[Our man in washington]

This probably means he will be denied the Nobel Prize he so richly deserves. Sad.

[CrazyIvan]

I read a reply of his to someone who called his condition
a “tragedy” or something of the kind. He stated that for an athlete it would be because his body was his life. For him personally it was not because his life was his mind and that it was fine. What an outlook.

[ex91B10]

He has friends.

[DoughtyOne]

Around five to ten years ago, Hawking was very ill. He was in the hospital with pneumonia, and it didn’t look good at all. He surprised everyone by recovering. Don’t count him out yet. This may or may not be his time.

He is a brilliant guy. No doubt about it.

[neocon1984]

Read his revised version of “A Brief History of Time”. He clearly states his belief in God, but from logical and scientific point of view rather than a theological one. The book is a “must read” for all “scientifically minded” atheists.