High Table at Cambridge with Stephen Hawking

bughunter writes "Accomplished astrophysicist and SF author Gregory Benford shares a personal account of his recent conversation with Stephen Hawking at Reason Online. As usual, Benford's style is engaging and informal, and this doesn't read like a typical interview. Although the article is short on jargon, Benford and Hawking share insights on the meaning of life, the universe, and everything, as such minds are want to do. We even get a glimpse of Cambridge tunnel hacking. Of course, there's also a plug for Hawking's new book, The Universe in a Nutshell."

The Universe In a Nutshell

[darthBear]

but is it published by O'Reilly?

How Hawking was typing

[RFC959]

Marilyn Monroe. I mentioned her, and Stephen responded instantly, tapping one-handed on his keyboard...

Um...

Never mind.

Re:The Universe In a Nutshell

[qurob]

And more importantly, what animal is on the cover?

Random English.

[Anonymous Coward]

At the risk of appearing like a slashdot poster, I will have to correct the original poster's useage of "want." He, of course, should have used "wont."

Tony

Check Out The Hawkman

[cybrpnk]

If you've never heard Hawking's musical efforts (I kid you not), now is the time. Check out www.mchawking.com [mchawking.com] and prepare to bust a gut laughing. This is not to be missed.

Re:The Universe In a Nutshell

[cybrpnk]

A male turtle?

Obligatory Hawking link

[legLess]

Ok, this isn't a karma whore, since I'm already at the cap. It is one of my favorite Onion articles ever, though. I wonder if Steven likes it? I bet he would :)

http://www.theonion.com/onion3123/hawkingexo.html [theonion.com]

Steven Hawking Builds Robotic Exoskeleton

CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND--Nobel Prize-winning physicist Stephen Hawking stunned the international scientific community Monday with his latest breakthrough, a remarkably advanced cybernetic exoskeleton designed to replace his wheelchair.

Hawking, paralyzed since early adulthood with the degenerative nerve disease ALS, unveiled the new creation at a press conference at Cambridge University.
"I am faster, stronger... better than before," Hawking told reporters via his suit's built-in voice synthesizer.

Conversation Between Hawking and the Mooninites

[Neil Blender]

"You and your... third dimension."
"Oh, what about it?"
"Oh, nothing. It's cute. We have five."
"...thousand."
"Yes, five thousand!"
"Don't question it!"

42

[rveno1]

"Benford and Hawking share insights on the meaning of life, the universe, and everything."

Um we knoe the answer to this question alredy it is 42!

Re:Poker

[Hektor_Troy]

And this is why Hawkings would rule at poker.

1) He doesn't have any facial give-aways
2) He doesn't have any other physical give-aways
3) His voice can't give him away, as it's the same boring/dreary robot-voice

Combine this with his no-doubt impressive math-skills, he'd only need very little time adjusting his game to the other players give-aways.

Plus he can always distract his oponents by talking physics ;-)

Re:penrose's birthday party

[Anonymous Coward]

Now if only twistor theory would win over super string theory. But that's another issue.

Good Lord! He plays Twister as well?

As if he would even rate with the others there

[Ars-Fartsica]

I know, I know, its just a TV show, but come on, no one really puts Stephen Hawking in the league as Einstein or Newton.

The thing I don't get about this guy is that he divorced his wife and then got a girlfriend. Jesus Christ! The man's nearly a vegetable and he still picks up! Just remember that all you lonely programmers - a guy in a wheelchair who can barely chew his own food gets more tail than you!

Meaning of Life? Old News!

[Kaio]

"Benford and Hawking share insights on the meaning of life, the universe, and everything..."

I know it's not always easy to come up with all new topics for an interview, but I think we already know Hawking's views on the meaning of life [mchawking.com]. His philosphy is revealed fairly clearly:

"I'm just chillin' yo, no place to be.
I take another pull off my 40z.
I'm thinking about spinning a fatass tree, a B to the L to the U-N-T."

Or perhaps:
"Fuck the damn creationists I say it with authority, because kicking their punk asses be my paramount priority.
Them wackass bitches say evolution's just a theory. They best step off, them brainless fools, I'll give them cause to fear me."

Hawking's biggest advantage

[jcsehak]

[Teddy KGB]: Hawkeng, you're einto me for 30 deimes. The juice hias bieen running iat 5 points a veek for a month. I miake thiat over 36 large. I'm going to hiave to break your legs.

[Hawking]: Okay.

[Teddy KGB]: Errr, I'm going to break your thumbs then.

[Hawking]: Go ahead.

[Teddy KGB]: Eahhh! (scuttles off in frustration)