Stephen Hawking Hospitalized

[FSTargetDrone]

Breaking News on Yahoo/AP:

By ROBERT BARR, Associated Press Writer Robert Barr, Associated Press Writer – 42 mins ago

LONDON – Famed mathematician Stephen Hawking was rushed to a hospital Monday and was seriously ill, Cambridge University said.

The university said Hawking has been fighting a chest infection for several weeks, and was being treated at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, the university city north of London.

"Professor Hawking is very ill," said Gregory Hayman, the university's head of communications. "He is undergoing tests. He has been unwell for a couple of weeks."

Later in the afternoon, Hayman said Hawking was "now comfortable but will be kept in hospital overnight."

Hawking, 67, gained renown for his work on black holes, and has remained active despite being diagnosed at 21 with ALS, (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), an incurable degenerative disorder also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.

For some years, Hawking has been almost entirely paralyzed, and he communicates through an electronic voice synthesizer activated by his fingers.

Hawking was involved in the search for the great goal of physics — a "unified theory" — which would resolve contradictions between Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity, which describes the laws of gravity that govern the motion of large objects like planets, and the Theory of Quantum Mechanics, which deals with the world of subatomic particles.

"A complete, consistent unified theory is only the first step: our goal is a complete understanding of the events around us, and of our own existence," he wrote in his best-selling book, "A Brief History of Time," published in 1988.

In a more accessible sequel "The Universe in a Nutshell," published in 2001, Hawking ventured into concepts like supergravity, naked singularities and the possibility of a universe with 11 dimensions.

He announced last year that he would step down from his post as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a title once held by the great 18th-century physicist Isaac Newton. However, the university said Hawking intended to continue working as Emeritus Lucasian Professor of Mathematics.

Hawking had canceled an appearance at Arizona State University on April 6 because of his illness.

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

___

On the Net:

http://www.hawking.org.uk

[JME2]

Damn.

[Kodiak]

Keep on going, Dr. Hawking! We still have so many questions that need answered.

[Patrick Degan]

No, he can't die now. Not now.

[Rogue 9]

Yahoo News only keeps articles around for about a week. This link should be more permanent.

Terrible news. Here's hoping for a swift recovery.

[Darth Onasi]

The world has lost too many great minds over the last few years. Granted, such is life. But I hope Mr. Hawking is not one of them.

[SCRawl]

It might sound cold, but he's had about as good a run as a guy in his circumstances could reasonably expect. I, too, hope for a recovery, but let's be reasonable: he's had ALS for over 40 years now. He's done his best work, and the day-to-day reality of his existence probably sucks. He doesn't owe us a thing, and I wouldn't hold it against him were he to want to give up. I think that I would.

[Darth Onasi]

It might sound cold, but he's had about as good a run as a guy in his circumstances could reasonably expect. I, too, hope for a recovery, but let's be reasonable: he's had ALS for over 40 years now. He's done his best work, and the day-to-day reality of his existence probably sucks. He doesn't owe us a thing, and I wouldn't hold it against him were he to want to give up. I think that I would.

From what I've seen, he's not the type of man to give up. He's been dealt a shitty lot in life but he's made the best of it and I hope it doesn't end now.

[Vehrec]

It might sound cold, but he's had about as good a run as a guy in his circumstances could reasonably expect. I, too, hope for a recovery, but let's be reasonable: he's had ALS for over 40 years now. He's done his best work, and the day-to-day reality of his existence probably sucks. He doesn't owe us a thing, and I wouldn't hold it against him were he to want to give up. I think that I would.

From what I've seen, he's not the type of man to give up. He's been dealt a shitty lot in life but he's made the best of it and I hope it doesn't end now.

When he was diagnosed, I believe his prognosis was for five years. As the article notes, it's been more than Forty. While it would be a shame to see him go, it is not something that can be put off forever.

[Darth Onasi]

I understand that, and I doubt anyone will call him a quitter if he finally does pass on.
However, I still hope he doesn't.

[Sea Skimmer]

When he was diagnosed, I believe his prognosis was for five years. As the article notes, it's been more than Forty. While it would be a shame to see him go, it is not something that can be put off forever.

Three to five years I believe, which is still about the average expectancy. But some people with the disease really do just seem to stop progressing at a certain point. that Usually occurs at a much earlier point that Hawkins reached when his condition semi stabilized which is what is so very exceptional.

Unfortunately as this lung infection indicates, when you have no mobility your body weakens and generally becomes more susceptible to other diseases. People in even less fortunate circumstances might be totally bedridden, which is really bad in terms of avoiding infection.

[The Yosemite Bear]

No, he can't die now. Not now.

Well we could always try the Dalek cyber hawkings project...

I know Gallows humour, bad colin....

Get well Dr. Hawkings.

[Ilya Muromets]

Sad as this is to hear, it's not really a surprise. I'm frankly amazed how long Hawking's managed to keep on going with such a debilitating affliction.

Whatever happens, this is definitely one man whose mind has enriched human knowledge greatly. My best wishes to him.

EDIT: Corrected spelling errors.

[FSTargetDrone]

Hawking to return home and is apparently expected to make a "full recovery":

Page last updated at 10:59 GMT, Tuesday, 21 April 2009 11:59 UK

Hawking 'to make full recovery'

Scientist Stephen Hawking is expected to make a full recovery after being taken to hospital with chest problems, Cambridge University has said.

The 67-year-old professor, who has motor neurone disease, is "comfortable" at Addenbrooke's Hospital in Cambridge, his employers said.

He was described as "very ill" when he was admitted to the hospital on Monday with a suspected respiratory infection.

The author of A Brief History of Time has been unwell for weeks.

A Cambridge University spokesman said: "Professor Hawking is being kept in for observation at Addenbrooke's Hospital... he is comfortable and his family is looking forward to him making a full recovery."

The physicist, who uses a wheelchair and speaks using a voice synthesiser, has worked at Cambridge University for more than 30 years.

Curtailed US trip

He had flown at the end of February to the California Institute of Technology where he is a visiting scholar.

But he called off an appearance at Arizona State University on 6 April because of his illness and flew back to the UK last Saturday.

Prof Hawking developed symptoms of motor neurone disease while studying in the 1960s and is one of the world's longest-surviving sufferers.

The scientist has three children and one grandchild. He became a CBE in 1982 and a Companion of Honour in 1989.

Last year, it was announced he would be stepping down as the university's Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the end of this academic year.

It is policy for holders of the title to retire at 67, but Prof Hawking said he intended to continue working as Emeritus Lucasian Professor of Mathematics.

So, there really isn't much in the way of details, but this is encouraging.

[The Duchess of Zeon]

It certainly is. I hope for nothing else that, like his current ambition is, we do get commercial suborbital flights in time for him to go up into space once. He did get to be weightless about two years ago, which is amazing, and with luck with he'll succeed in lasting long enough to actually go on a commercial suborbital flight, since he's already had an incredible and satisfiyng career and it would be very nice now if he'd life long enough to fulfill that one last dream.

[Kodiak]

I was surprised yesterday to find how how few people I come in contact with had no idea who Stephen Hawking is. I told my wife and mother-in-law yesterday that he had been hospitalized and they both gave me blank stares until I said "He's the smart guy in the wheelchair with the robot voice". Then the recognition dawned on them . I would actually shed tears for this man I've never met when he leaves our mortal coil, and so many people today have no clue who he is and what he's done for our understanding of the universe.