Visionary physicist Stephen Hawking, a leading explorer of the cosmos and champion of progressive causes, died early on March 14 at the age of 76.
Hawking was known for his research into properties of black holes, gravity and Einstein鈥檚 theory of relativity. His best-selling 1988 book聽A Brief History of Time was credited with聽聽the general public鈥檚 interest in cosmology.
鈥淣ot since Albert Einstein has a scientist so captured the public imagination and endeared himself to tens of millions of people around the world,鈥 Michio Kaku, a professor of theoretical physics at the City University of New York,聽迟丑别听New York Times.
The scientist was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21, and was told by doctors that he would die within three years. Instead, he embarked on an influential career, eventually using a wheelchair when he lost his mobility and a speech synthesiser to communicate.
Along with his discovery of phenomena such as聽, the theory of energy flowing into and out of a black hole until it fades to nothing, Hawking was a fierce opponent of the war conservatives waged on science in recent years.
He condemned the so-called 鈥渄ebate鈥 over climate crisis, insisting on the need for urgent action. 鈥淲e are close to the tipping point where global warming becomes irreversible,鈥 he聽last year.
By pulling out of the Paris climate accords and refusing to take action, Hawking said US President Donald Trump鈥檚 actions 鈥渃ould push the Earth over the brink, to become like Venus, with a temperature of two hundred and fifty degrees, and raining sulphuric acid鈥.
Hawking also opposed the US-led wars on Vietnam and Iraq, as well as for universal health care.
The physicist also聽a boycott of Israel by academics, citing the nation's treatment of Palestinians, as part of the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaign.
He was a vehement critic of capitalism鈥檚 excesses, warning that economic inequality would skyrocket as more jobs become automated and wealth continues to be transferred to the already-wealthy.
鈥淚f machines produce everything we need, the outcome will depend on how things are distributed,鈥 he聽in 2015 in a Reddit 鈥淎sk Me Anything鈥 session. 鈥淓veryone can enjoy a life of luxurious leisure if the machine-produced wealth is shared, or most people can end up miserably poor if the machine-owners successfully lobby against wealth redistribution.
鈥淪o far, the trend seems to be toward the second option, with technology driving ever-increasing inequality.鈥
[Abridged from .]
Like the article?聽Subscribe聽to 91自拍论坛 now! You can also聽聽us on Facebook and聽聽on Twitter.