Stories of Stephen Hawking and Shenzhen

The British physicist Stephen Hawking died on March 14 at the age of 76. [Photo/sznews.com]

Stephen Hawking, the renowned British theoretical physicist and cosmologist whose brilliant mind was able to explore time and space despite his physical paralysis, passed away on March 14, according to reports from BBC.

Hawking was the director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge and the most renowned theoretical physicist of his time, responsible for several breakthrough discoveries in the realm of cosmology. Despite suffering from a rare and life-threatening condition known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), his contributions to the sciences were immeasurable and include his revolutionary predictions on black holes and international best seller A Brief History of Time.

On Nov 5 last year, Hawking made a video appearance at the 2017 Tencent WE Summit, a platform launched by Shenzhen-based internet giant Tencent which is designed to inspire creativity and the creation of life-changing technology. In his speech, the British scientist warned that overcrowding and increased energy consumption could bring a fiery end to our world and also encouraged scientists to look for other inhabitable planets for mankind.  He also talked about the long-term research project Breakthrough Starshot, which is designed to help humans journey to different planets in search of an alternate home for humanity.

Stephen Hawking made a video appearance on Nov 5 last year at the 2017 Tencent WE Summit. [Photo/Southcn.com]

In October 2017, Tencent held "Next Idea" in Shenzhen, an innovation competition which calls on global youth to think about future, smart life and artificial intelligence. The event offered a bridge between young minds and Stephen Hawking, taking the most pressing topics and asking the British scientist to give his thoughts.

In 2007, a girl from Shenzhen studying at the California Institute of Technology was selected to ask Hawking a question during an event at the university. Students raced to hand their questions to the physicist, who would then answer several of his choosing. The Shenzhen girl, Liu Shiyi, stood out with a question about the time in the future.

The English physicist answers the question raised by Liu Shiyi, a girl from Shenzhen during an event at the California Institute of Technology. [Photo/Nanfang Plus]