Top quotes by Stephen Hawking

Time travel used to be thought of as just science fiction, but Einstein's general theory of relativity allows for the possibility that we could warp space-time so much that you could go off in a rocket and return before you set out. Votes: 38

I would like nuclear fusion to become a practical power source. It would provide an inexhaustible supply of energy, without pollution or global warming. Votes: 32

It was Einstein's dream to discover the grand design of the universe, a single theory that explains everything. However, physicists in Einstein's day hadn't made enough progress in understanding the forces of nature for that to be a realistic goal. Votes: 29

I have noticed even people who claim everything is predestined, and that we can do nothing to change it, look before they cross the road. Votes: 23

God is the name people give to the reason we are here. But I think that reason is the laws of physics rather than someone with whom one can have a personal relationship. An impersonal God. Votes: 21

I entered the health care debate in response to a statement in the United States press in summer 2009 which claimed the National Health Service in Great Britain would have killed me off, were I a British citizen. I felt compelled to make a statement to explain the error. Votes: 18

Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change. Votes: 18

Time travel was once considered scientific heresy, and I used to avoid talking about it for fear of being labelled a 'crank.' Votes: 17

I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark. Votes: 17

Obviously, because of my disability, I need assistance. But I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have traveled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity. Votes: 17

I was born on January 8, 1942, exactly three hundred years after the death of Galileo. I estimate, however, that about two hundred thousand other babies were also born that day. I don't know whether any of them was later interested in astronomy. Votes: 17

Keeping an active mind has been vital to my survival, as has been maintaining a sense of humor. Votes: 15

Scientists have become the bearers of the torch of discovery in our quest for knowledge. Votes: 14

There is no heaven or afterlife for broken-down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark. Votes: 14

I think those who have a terminal illness and are in great pain should have the right to choose to end their own life, and those that help them should be free from prosecution. Votes: 13

Cambridge is one of the best universities in the world, especially in my field. Votes: 13

Before 1915, space and time were thought of as a fixed arena in which events took place, but which was not affected by what happened in it. Space and time are now dynamic quantities... space and time not only affect but are also affected by everything that happens in the universe. Votes: 13

Wagner manages to convey emotion with music better than anyone, before or since. Votes: 12

Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of. Votes: 12

In my opinion, there is no aspect of reality beyond the reach of the human mind. Votes: 12

It's time to commit to finding the answer, to search for life beyond Earth. Mankind has a deep need to explore, to learn, to know. We also happen to be sociable creatures. It is important for us to know if we are alone in the dark. Votes: 11

Throughout history, people have studied pure science from a desire to understand the universe rather than practical applications for commercial gain. But their discoveries later turned out to have great practical benefits. Votes: 9

If we do discover a complete theory, it should be in time understandable in broad principle by everyone. Then we shall all, philosophers, scientists, and just ordinary people be able to take part in the discussion of why we and the universe exist. Votes: 8

I believe in universal health care. And I am not afraid to say so. Votes: 7

There is no physical law precluding particles from being organised in ways that perform even more advanced computations than the arrangements of particles in human brains. Votes: 6

If we want to travel into the future, we just need to go fast. Really fast. And I think the only way we're ever likely to do that is by going into space. Votes: 4

Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last, unless we learn how to avoid the risks. Votes: 4

We think we have solved the mystery of creation. Maybe we should patent the universe and charge everyone royalties for their existence. Votes: 4

The doctor who diagnosed me with ALS, or motor neuron disease, told me that it would kill me in two or three years. Votes: 4

I'm never any good in the morning. It is only after four in the afternoon that I get going. Votes: 3

In my school, the brightest boys did math and physics, the less bright did physics and chemistry, and the least bright did biology. I wanted to do math and physics, but my father made me do chemistry because he thought there would be no jobs for mathematicians. Votes: 0

Although almost every theoretical physicist agrees with my prediction that a black hole should glow like a hot body, it would be very difficult to verify experimentally because the temperature of a macroscopic black hole is so low. Votes: 0

My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all. Votes: 0

I think the brain is essentially a computer and consciousness is like a computer program. It will cease to run when the computer is turned off. Theoretically, it could be re-created on a neural network, but that would be very difficult, as it would require all one's memories. Votes: 0

I think computer viruses should count as life. I think it says something about human nature that the only form of life we have created so far is purely destructive. We've created life in our own image. Votes: 0

A few years ago, the city council of Monza, Italy, barred pet owners from keeping goldfish in curved bowls... saying that it is cruel to keep a fish in a bowl with curved sides because, gazing out, the fish would have a distorted view of reality. But how do we know we have the true, undistorted picture of reality? Votes: 0

The whole history of science has been the gradual realization that events do not happen in an arbitrary manner, but that they reflect a certain underlying order, which may or may not be divinely inspired. Votes: 0

Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill. Votes: 0

For years, my early work with Roger Penrose seemed to be a disaster for science. It showed that the universe must have begun with a singularity, if Einstein's general theory of relativity is correct. That appeared to indicate that science could not predict how the universe would begin. Votes: 0

With genetic engineering, we will be able to increase the complexity of our DNA, and improve the human race. But it will be a slow process, because one will have to wait about 18 years to see the effect of changes to the genetic code. Votes: 0

The radiation left over from the Big Bang is the same as that in your microwave oven but very much less powerful. It would heat your pizza only to minus 271.3*C - not much good for defrosting the pizza, let alone cooking it. Votes: 0

I used to think information was destroyed in black hole. This was my biggest blunder, or at least my biggest blunder in science. Votes: 0

In the past, there was active discrimination against women in science. That has now gone, and although there are residual effects, these are not enough to account for the small numbers of women, particularly in mathematics and physics. Votes: 0

It is generally recognised that women are better than men at languages, personal relations and multi-tasking, but less good at map-reading and spatial awareness. It is therefore not unreasonable to suppose that women might be less good at mathematics and physics. Votes: 0

Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Votes: 0

I think it quite likely that we are the only civilization within several hundred light years; otherwise we would have heard radio waves. Votes: 0

Science predicts that many different kinds of universe will be spontaneously created out of nothing. It is a matter of chance which we are in. Votes: 0

In less than a hundred years, we have found a new way to think of ourselves. From sitting at the center of the universe, we now find ourselves orbiting an average-sized sun, which is just one of millions of stars in our own Milky Way galaxy. Votes: 0

Our minds work in real time, which begins at the Big Bang and will end, if there is a Big Crunch - which seems unlikely, now, from the latest data showing accelerating expansion. Consciousness would come to an end at a singularity. Votes: 0

Philosophers have not kept up with modern developments in science. Particularly physics. Votes: 0

Science is not only a disciple of reason but, also, one of romance and passion. Votes: 0

Imaginary time is a new dimension, at right angles to ordinary, real time. Votes: 0

If the rate of expansion one second after the Big Bang had been smaller by even one part in a hundred thousand million million, it would have recollapsed before it reached its present size. On the other hand, if it had been greater by a part in a million, the universe would have expanded too rapidly for stars and planets to form. Votes: 0

Most sets of values would give rise to universes that, although they might be very beautiful, would contain no one able to wonder at that beauty. Votes: 0

Most people don't have time to master the very mathematical details of theoretical physics. Votes: 0

Theoretical physics is one of the few fields in which being disabled is no handicap - it is all in the mind. Votes: 0

To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational. The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like. Votes: 0

It is no good getting furious if you get stuck. What I do is keep thinking about the problem but work on something else. Sometimes it is years before I see the way forward. In the case of information loss and black holes, it was 29 years. Votes: 0

I think the discovery of supersymmetric partners for the known particles would revolutionize our understanding of the universe. Votes: 0

While physics and mathematics may tell us how the universe began, they are not much use in predicting human behavior because there are far too many equations to solve. I'm no better than anyone else at understanding what makes people tick, particularly women. Votes: 0

I had a bet with Gordon Kane of Michigan University that the Higgs particle wouldn't be found. Votes: 0

Science can lift people out of poverty and cure disease. That, in turn, will reduce civil unrest. Votes: 0

Science is beautiful when it makes simple explanations of phenomena or connections between different observations. Examples include the double helix in biology and the fundamental equations of physics. Votes: 0

Some people would claim that things like love, joy and beauty belong to a different category from science and can't be described in scientific terms, but I think they can now be explained by the theory of evolution. Votes: 0

There is a real danger that computers will develop intelligence and take over. We urgently need to develop direct connections to the brain so that computers can add to human intelligence rather than be in opposition. Votes: 0

I believe alien life is quite common in the universe, although intelligent life is less so. Some say it has yet to appear on planet Earth. Votes: 0

I have wondered about time all my life. Votes: 0

I have so much that I want to do. I hate wasting time. Votes: 0

People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining. Votes: 0

It now appears that the way the universe began can indeed be determined, using imaginary time. Votes: 0

Time can behave like another direction in space under extreme conditions. Votes: 0

I had not expected 'A Brief History of Time' to be a best seller. Votes: 0

Up until the 1920s, everyone thought the universe was essentially static and unchanging in time. Votes: 0

Even if it turns out that time travel is impossible, it is important that we understand why it is impossible. Votes: 0

I was not a good student. I did not spend much time at college; I was too busy enjoying myself. Votes: 0

If I had a time machine, I'd visit Marilyn Monroe in her prime or drop in on Galileo as he turned his telescope to the heavens. Votes: 0

My first popular book, 'A Brief History of Time,' aroused a great deal of interest, but many found it difficult to understand. Votes: 0

We lived in a tall, narrow Victorian house, which my parents had bought very cheaply during the war, when everyone thought London was going to be bombed flat. In fact, a V-2 rocket landed a few houses away from ours. I was away with my mother and sister at the time, but my father was in the house. Votes: 0

Science is increasingly answering questions that used to be the province of religion. Votes: 0

The past, like the future, is indefinite and exists only as a spectrum of possibilities. Votes: 0

What was God doing before the divine creation? Votes: 0

The missing link in cosmology is the nature of dark matter and dark energy. Votes: 0

The universe is governed by science. But science tells us that we can't solve the equations, directly in the abstract. Votes: 0

Cosmology is a rapidly advancing field. Votes: 0

We are all different. There is no such thing as a standard or run-of-the-mill human being, but we share the same human spirit. Votes: 0

My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit as well as physically. Votes: 0

Although September 11 was horrible, it didn't threaten the survival of the human race, like nuclear weapons do. Votes: 0

God may exist, but science can explain the universe without the need for a creator. Votes: 0

The cyclic universe theory predicts no gravitational waves from the early universe. Votes: 0

I believe the universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws. Votes: 0

My work and my family are very important to me. Votes: 0

My wife and I love each other very much. Votes: 0

Many badly needed goals, like fusion and cancer cure, would be achieved much sooner if we invested more. Votes: 0

My three children have brought me great joy. Votes: 0

Computers double their performance every month. Votes: 0

I believe there are no questions that science can't answer about a physical universe. Votes: 0

There are no black holes in the sense of regimes from which light can't escape to infinity. Votes: 0

All my adult life people have been helping me. Votes: 0

I can't say that my disability has helped my work, but it has allowed me to concentrate on research without having to lecture or sit on boring committees. Votes: 0

We think that life develops spontaneously on Earth, so it must be possible for life to develop on suitable planets elsewhere in the universe. But we don't know the probability that a planet develops life. Votes: 0

Look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see, and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. Votes: 0

No one can resist the idea of a crippled genius. Votes: 0

There's no way to remove the observer - us - from our perceptions of the world. Votes: 0

The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world. Votes: 0

I don't want to write an autobiography because I would become public property with no privacy left. Votes: 0

M-theory is the unified theory Einstein was hoping to find. Votes: 0

Many people find the universe confusing - it's not. Votes: 0

Exploration by real people inspires us. Votes: 0

We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet. Votes: 0

I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. Votes: 0

A snooze button is a poor substitute for no alarm clock at all. Votes: 0

If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans. Votes: 0

Of course it is possible that UFO's really do contain aliens as many people believe, and the government is hushing it up Votes: 0

To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational, Votes: 0

I think [contacting an alien civilization] would be a disaster. The extraterrestrials would probably be far in advance of us. The history of advanced races meeting more primitive people on this planet is not very happy, and they were the same species. I think we should keep our heads low. Votes: 0

One cannot really argue with a mathematical theorem. Votes: 0

Everything that civilisation has to offer is a product of human intelligence; we cannot predict what we might achieve when this intelligence is magnified by the tools that AI may provide, but the eradication of war, disease, and poverty would be high on anyone's list. Success in creating AI would be the biggest event in human history. Unfortunately, it might also be the last. Votes: 0

The development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. Votes: 0

"Sooner or later disasters such as an asteroid collision or a nuclear war could wipe us all out, But once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe." Votes: 0

We are in danger of destroying ourselves by our greed and stupidity. We cannot remain looking inwards at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet. Votes: 0

We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special. Votes: 0

So Einstein was wrong when he said, "God does not play dice." Consideration of black holes suggests, not only that God does play dice, but that he sometimes confuses us by throwing them where they can't be seen. Votes: 0

There are no black holes - in the sense of regimes from which light can't escape to infinity. There are however apparent horizons which persist for a period of time. Votes: 0

People who boast about their I.Q. are losers. Votes: 0

My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus. Votes: 0

Many badly needed goals, like fusion and cancer cure, would be achieved much sooner if we invested more [in scientific education and research]. Votes: 0

Not to leave planet Earth would be like castaways on a desert island not trying to escape...Sending humans to other planets ... will shape the future of the human race in ways we don't yet understand, and may determine whether we have any future at all. Votes: 0

When the going gets tough, the tough take a coffee break. Votes: 0

I think computer viruses should count as life, Votes: 0

Whether you want to uncover the secrets of the universe, or you just want to pursue a career in the 21st century, basic computer programming is an essential skill to learn Votes: 0

Computer viruses are alive. Votes: 0

The thing about smart people is that they seem like crazy people to dumb people. Votes: 0

It surprises me how disinterested we are today about things like physics, space, the universe and philosophy of our existence, our purpose, our final destination. Its a crazy world out there. Be curious. Votes: 0

Its a crazy world out there. Be curious. Votes: 0

Not only does God play dice, but... he sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen. Votes: 0

Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious. And however difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don't just give up. Votes: 0

However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. Votes: 0

It is a waste of time to be angry about my disability. One has to get on with life and I haven't done badly. People won't have time for you if you are always angry or complaining. Votes: 0

Many people do not like the idea that time has a beginning, probably because it smacks of divine intervention. Votes: 0

Many people do not like the idea that time has a beginning, probably because it smacks of divine intervention. (The Catholic Church, on the other hand, seized on the big bang model and in 1951 officially pronounced it to be in accordance with the Bible. Votes: 0

My advice to other disabled people would be, concentrate on things your disability doesn't prevent you doing well, and don't regret the things it interferes with. Don't be disabled in spirit, as well as physically. Votes: 0

The human race shouldn't have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let's hope we can avoid dropping the basket until we have spread the load. Votes: 0

Speech has allowed the communication of ideas, enabling human beings to work together to build the impossible. Mankind's greatest achievements have come about by talking, and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn't have to be like this. Our greatest hopes could become reality in the future. With the technology at our disposal, the possibilities are unbounded. All we need to do is make sure we keep talking. Votes: 0

Someone told me that each equation I included in the book would halve the sales. Votes: 0

Even if there is only one possible unified theory, it is just a set of rules and equations. What is it that breathes fire into the equations and makes a universe for them to describe? Votes: 0

Science is beautiful when it makes simple explanations of phenomena or connections between different observations. Votes: 0

A person who smiles in the face of adversity...probably has a scapegoat. Votes: 0

One, remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Two, never give up work. Work gives you meaning and purpose and life is empty without it. Three, if you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw it away. Votes: 0

Nuclear weapons need large facilities, but genetic engineering can be done in a small lab. You can't regulate every lab in the world. The danger is that either by accident or design, we create a virus that destroys us. Votes: 0

Government works best under the glare of public scrutiny. Absent such scrutiny, abuses occur. Votes: 0

Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Votes: 0

Science fiction can be exciting and very gripping, but it doesn't tell us anything about the universe in which we live. Votes: 0

Hang in there, retirement is only thirty years away! Votes: 0

In this way, Edwin Hubble worked out the distances to nine different galaxies. We now know that our galaxy is only one of some hundred thousand million that can be seen using modern telescopes, each galaxy itself containing some hundred thousand million stars. Votes: 0

To confine our attention to terrestrial matters would be to limit the human spirit. Votes: 0

We have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years, but if we want to continue, our future is in space. Votes: 0

I believe that the long-term future of the human race must be space and that it represents an important life insurance for our future survival, as it could prevent the disappearance of humanity by colonizing other planets, Votes: 0

[In the Universe it may be that] Primitive life is very common and intelligent life is fairly rare. Some would say it has yet to occur on Earth. Votes: 0

Jesus loves you, but everyone else thinks you're an ass. Votes: 0

It matters that you don't just give up, Votes: 0

It matters if you don't just give up. Votes: 0

So great a contribution to physics was Two New Sciences that scholars have long maintained that the book anticipated Isaac Newton's laws of motion. Votes: 0

We could call order by the name of God, but it would be an impersonal God. There's not much personal about the laws of physics. Votes: 0

One does not have to appeal to God to set the initial conditions for the creation of the universe, but if one does He would have to act through the laws of physics. Votes: 0

I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me to a profound realization that there probably is no heaven and no afterlife either. We have this one life to appreciate the grand design of the universe and for that, I am extremely grateful. Votes: 0

Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain lurking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space. Votes: 0

So next time someone complains that you have made a mistake, tell him that may be a good thing. Because without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist Votes: 0

The usual approach of science of constructing a mathematical model cannot answer the questions of why there should be a universe for the model to describe. Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? Votes: 0

Maxwell is the physicist's physicist. Votes: 0

Although quantum mechanics has been around for nearly 70 years, it is still not generally understood or appreciated, even by those that use it to do calculations. Votes: 0

It should soon be possible dramatically to increase the intelligence and life span of a few individuals [with the help of genetic engineering]. They and their offspring could become a master race. Evolution pays no regard to social justice. It was not fair on the Neanderthals they were replaced by modern humans. Votes: 0

I wouldnt be here today if it were not for the NHS, I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived. Votes: 0

So long as the universe had a beginning, we could suppose it had a creator. But if the universe is really completely self-contained, having no boundary or edge, it would have neither beginning nor end: it would simply be. What place, then, for a creator? Votes: 0

There ought to be something very special about the boundary conditions of the universe and what can be more special than that there is no boundary? Votes: 0

It is all right to make mistakes; nothing is perfect because with perfection, we would not exist. Votes: 0

One of the basic rules of the universe is that nothing is perfect. Perfection simply doesn't exist.....Without imperfection, neither you nor I would exist Votes: 0

Gravity is so strong that space is bent round onto itself, making it rather like the surface of the earth. If one keeps traveling in a certain direction on the surface of the earth, one never comes up against an impassable barrier or falls over the edge, but eventually comes back to where one started. Votes: 0

If one is physically disabled, one cannot afford to be *psychologically* disabled as well. Votes: 0

A picture is worth a thousand words...and uses up a thousand times the memory. Votes: 0

What was God doing before the divine creation? Was he preparing hell for people who asked such questions? Votes: 0

If human life were long enough to find the ultimate theory, everything would have been solved by previous generations. Nothing would be left to be discovered. Votes: 0

The laws of science, as we know them at present, contain many fundamental numbers, like the size of the electric charge of the electron and the ratio of the masses of the proton and the electron .... The remarkable fact is that the values of these numbers seem to have been finely adjusted to make possible the development of life. Votes: 0

Quiet people have the loudest minds. Votes: 0

To understand recursion, one must first understand recursion. Votes: 0

Now, radical forward thinking is offering hope for the future: Replacement body parts to order. A team of scientists in California believe that if you can design them on a computer, you should be able to print them out. Votes: 0

As we shall see, the concept of time has no meaning before the beginning of the universe. This was first pointed out by St. Augustine. When asked: What did God do before he created the universe? Augustine didn't reply: He was preparing Hell for people who asked such questions. Votes: 0

Evolution has ensured that our brains just aren't equipped to visualise 11 dimensions directly. However, from a purely mathematical point of view it's just as easy to think in 11 dimensions, as it is to think in three or four. Votes: 0

According to 'M' theory, ours is not the only universe. Instead, 'M' theory predicts that a great many universes were created out of nothing. Votes: 0

Stephen Hawking said that his quest is simply "trying to understand the mind of God". Votes: 0

My father was a research scientist in tropical medicine, so I always assumed I would be a scientist, too. I felt that medicine was too vague and inexact, so I chose physics. Votes: 0

When we understand string theory, we will know how the universe began. It won't have much effect on how we live, but it is important to understand where we come from and what we can expect to find as we explore. Votes: 0

My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus."[The Science of Second-Guessing (New York Times Magazine Interview, December 12, 2004)] Votes: 0

The greatest enemy of knowledge is not ignorance, it is the illusion of knowledge. Votes: 0

Life would be tragic if it weren't funny. Votes: 0

Scientific discovery may not be better than sex, but the satisfaction lasts longer. Votes: 0

The human race is just a chemical scum on a moderate-sized planet, orbiting around a very average star in the outer suburb of one among a hundred billion galaxies. We are so insignificant that I can't believe the whole universe exists for our benefit. That would be like saying that you would disappear if I closed my eyes. Votes: 0

Go the extra mile. It makes your boss look like an incompetent slacker. Votes: 0

Earth might one day soon resemble the planet Venus. Votes: 0

I am in touch with a company that hopes to replicate my voice. However, they are not replicating my original voice - if they did that, I would sound like a man in his 20s, which would be very strange! They are actually trying to replicate the synthesizer that sits on my wheelchair. Votes: 0

I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space. Votes: 0

I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years, unless we spread into space. There are too many accidents that can befall life on a single planet. But I'm an optimist. We will reach out to the stars. Votes: 0

As Irving Good realised in 1965, machines with superhuman intelligence could repeatedly improve their design even further, triggering what Vernor Vinge called a 'singularity.' Votes: 0

The downside of my celebrity is that I cannot go anywhere in the world without being recognized. It is not enough for me to wear dark sunglasses and a wig. The wheelchair gives me away. Votes: 0

It is not clear that intelligence has any long-term survival value. Votes: 0

While there's life, there is hope. Votes: 0

If time travel is possible, where are the tourists from the future? Votes: 0

The idea that we are alone in the universe seems to me completely implausible and arrogant, considering the number of planets and stars that we know exist, it's extremely unlikely that we are the only form of evolved life. Votes: 0

If I had to choose a superhero to be, I would pick Superman. He's everything that I'm not. Votes: 0

Money is not everything. There's Master card & Visa. Votes: 0

At times, I get very lonely because people are afraid to talk to me or don't wait for me to write a response. I'm shy and tongue-tied at times. I find it difficult to talk to people who I don't know. Votes: 0

There should be a better way to start a day than waking up every morning. Votes: 0

I am discounting reports of UFOs. Why would they appear only to cranks and weirdos? Votes: 0

All that my work has shown is that you don't have to say that the way the universe began was the personal whim of God. Votes: 0

The more you learn, the more you know. The more you know, the more you forget. The more you forget, the less you know. So why bother to learn. Votes: 0

The concern here is that financial services become a kind of tech-led Wild West. Votes: 0

I want to encourage public interest in space. I have never let my condition stop me. You only live once. Votes: 0

I hope I have helped to raise the profile of science and to show that physics is not a mystery but can be understood by ordinary people. Votes: 0

When one's expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have Votes: 0

A zero-gravity flight is a first step toward space travel. Votes: 0

Some forms of motor neuron disease are genetically linked, but I have no indication that my kind is. No other member of my family has had it. But I would be in favour of abortion if there was a high risk. Votes: 0

There are plenty of dead scientists I admire, but I can't think of any living ones. This is probably because it is only in retrospect that one can see who made the important contributions. Votes: 0

As scientists, we step on the shoulders of science, building on the work that has come before us - aiming to inspire a new generation of young scientists to continue once we are gone. Votes: 0

Stem cell research is the key to developing cures for degenerative conditions like Parkinson's and motor neuron disease from which I and many others suffer. The fact that the cells may come from embryos is not an objection, because the embryos are going to die anyway. Votes: 0

The fastest manned vehicle in history was Apollo 10. It reached 25,000 mph. Votes: 0

'The Simpsons' appearances were great fun. But I don't take them too seriously. I think 'The Simpsons' have treated my disability responsibly. Votes: 0

When one's expectations are reduced to zero, one really appreciates everything one does have. Votes: 0

I had not expected 'A Brief History of Time' to be a best seller. It was my first popular book and aroused a great deal of interest. Initially, many people found it difficult to understand. I therefore decided to try to write a new version that would be easier to follow. Votes: 0

There are too many accidents that can befall life on a single planet. Votes: 0

We live in a bewildering world. Votes: 0

Some scientists think it may be possible to capture a wormhole and enlarge it many trillions of times to make it big enough for a human or even a spaceship to enter. Votes: 0

It's a pity that nobody has found an exploding black hole. If they had, I would have won a Nobel prize. Votes: 0

Only black holes of very low mass would emit a significant amount of radiation. Votes: 0

My discovery that black holes emit radiation raised serious problems of consistency with the rest of physics. I have now resolved these problems, but the answer turned out to be not what I expected. Votes: 0

We are all now connected by the Internet, like neurons in a giant brain. Votes: 0

There are grounds for cautious optimism that we may now be near the end ofthe search for the ultimate laws of nature. Votes: 0

I was never top of the class at school, but my classmates must have seen potential in me, because my nickname was 'Einstein.' Votes: 0

We must develop as quickly as possible technologies that make possible a direct connection between brain and computer, so that artificial brains contribute to human intelligence rather than opposing it. Votes: 0

The Planck satellite may detect the imprint of the gravitational waves predicted by inflation. This would be quantum gravity written across the sky. Votes: 0

Observations indicate that the universe is expanding at an ever increasing rate. It will expand forever, getting emptier and darker. Votes: 0

No one undertakes research in physics with the intention of winning a prize. It is the joy of discovering something no one knew before. Votes: 0

I don't care much for equations myself. This is partly because it is difficult for me to write them down, but mainly because I don't have an intuitive feeling for equations. Votes: 0

I don't have much positive to say about motor neurone disease. But it taught me not to pity myself because others were worse off, and to get on with what I could still do. Votes: 0

I grew up thinking that a research scientist was a natural thing to be. Votes: 0

Women. They are a complete mystery. Votes: 0

In Britain, like most of the developed world, stem-cell research is regarded as a great opportunity. America will be left behind if it doesn't change policy. Votes: 0

God not only plays dice, but also sometimes throws them where they cannot be seen. Votes: 0

God not only plays dice, He also sometimes throws the dice where they cannot be seen. Votes: 0

Sometimes I wonder if I'm as famous for my wheelchair and disabilities as I am for my discoveries. Votes: 0

The media need superheroes in science just as in every sphere of life, but there is really a continuous range of abilities with no clear dividing line. Votes: 0

I have wanted to fly into space for many years, but never imagined it would really be feasible. Votes: 0

I first had the idea of writing a popular book about the universe in 1982. My intention was partly to earn money to pay my daughter's school fees. Votes: 0

We are the product of quantum fluctuations in the very early universe. Votes: 0

There could be shadow galaxies, shadow stars, and even shadow people. Votes: 0

I think we have a good chance of surviving long enough to colonize the solar system. Votes: 0

The voice I use is a very old hardware speech synthesizer made in 1986. I keep it because I have not heard a voice I like better and because I have identified with it. Votes: 0

I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS. I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived. Votes: 0

I have visited Japan several times and have always been shown wonderful hospitality. Votes: 0

If you believe in science, like I do, you believe that there are certain laws that are always obeyed. Votes: 0

I want to know why the universe exists, why there is something greater than nothing. Votes: 0

The human race may be the only intelligent beings in the galaxy. Votes: 0

"With genetic engineering, we will be able to increase the complexity of our DNA, and improve the human race. But it will be a slow process, because one will have to wait about 18 years to see the effect of changes to the genetic code,"By contrast, computers double their speed and memories every 18 months. There is a real danger that computers will develop intelligence and take over. We urgently need to develop direct connections to the brain so that computers can add to human intelligence rather than be in opposition." Votes: 0

[Asked what he thinks about most during the day] Women. They are a complete mystery. Votes: 0

[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you don't have to bring them back. Votes: 0

[Question: Do you feel that scientists correct themselves as often as they should?] More often than politicians, but not as often as they should. Votes: 0

[Question: What do you think was the most important physics idea to emerge this year?] We won't know for a few years. Votes: 0

A lot of prizes have been awarded for showing the universe is not as simple as we might have thought. Votes: 0

A million million million million (1 with twenty-four zeros after it) miles, the size of the observable universe. Votes: 0

A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and second if the model makes definite predictions that can be tested, and possibly falsified, by observation. Votes: 0

A theory is a good theory if it satisfies two requirements: it must accurately describe a large class of observations on the basis of a model that contains only a few arbitrary elements, and it must make definite predictions about the results of future observations. Votes: 0

All of my life, I have been fascinated by the big questions that face us, and have tried to find scientific answers to them. If, like me, you have looked at the stars, and tried to make sense of what you see, you too have started to wonder what makes the universe exist. Votes: 0

Although I cannot move and I have to speak through a computer, in my mind I am free. Votes: 0

Among physicists, I'm respected I hope. Votes: 0

Any physical theory is always provisional, in the sense that it is only a hypothesis: you can never prove it. Votes: 0

Any physical theory is always provisional, in the sense that it is only a hypothesis: you can never prove it. No matter how many times the results of experiments agree with some theory, you can never be sure that the next time the result will not contradict the theory. Votes: 0

As a child, I wanted to know how things worked and to control them. With a friend, I built a number of complicated models that I could control. It was a natural next step to want to know how the universe works. Votes: 0

As those who have seen Jurassic Park will know, this means a tiny disturbance in one place, can cause a major change in another. A butterfly flapping its wings can cause rain in Central Park, New York. The trouble is, it is not repeatable. The next time the butterfly flaps its wings, a host of other things will be different, which will also influence the weather. That is why weather forecasts are so unreliable. Votes: 0

As we shall see, the concept of time has no meaning before the beginning of the universe. This was first pointed out by St. Augustine. When asked: What did God do before he created the universe? Augustine didn't reply: He was preparing Hell for people who asked such questions. Instead, he said that time was a property of the universe that God created, and that time did not exist before the beginning of the universe. Votes: 0

Because imaginary time behaves like another direction in space, histories in imaginary time can be closed surfaces, like the surface of the Earth, with no [existential] beginning or end. Votes: 0

Because there is a law such as gravity, the Universe can and will create itself from nothing. Spontaneous creation is the reason there is something rather than nothing, why the Universe exists, why we exist. It is not necessary to invoke God to light the blue touch paper and set the Universe going. Votes: 0

Before we understand science, it is natural to believe that God created the universe. But now science offers a more convincing explanation. Votes: 0

Being confined to a wheelchair doesn't bother me as my mind is free to roam the universe, but it felt wonderful to be weightless. Votes: 0

Bodies like the earth are not made to move on curved orbits by a force called gravity; instead, they follow the nearest thing to a straight path in a curved space, which is called a geodesic. A geodesic is the shortest (or longest) path between two nearby points. Votes: 0

But a machine that was powerful enough to accelerate particles to the grand unification energy would have to be as big as the Solar System - and would be unlikely to be funded in the present economic climate. Votes: 0

Chaos, when left alone, tends to multiply. Votes: 0

Children in backseats cause accidents. Accidents in backseats cause children. Votes: 0

Disability can be no handicap. Votes: 0

Disability need not be an obstacle to success. Votes: 0

Disorder increases with time because we measure time in the direction in which disorder increases. Votes: 0

Do you believe in first love - or should I pass by again? Votes: 0

Do you ever wonder how much deeper the ocean would be without sponges? Votes: 0

Doing a job RIGHT the first time gets the job done. Doing the job WRONG fourteen times gives you job security. Votes: 0

Don't be disabled in spirit as well as physically. Votes: 0

Equations are just the boring part of mathematics. I attempt to see things in terms of geometry. Votes: 0

Eternity is a long time, especially towards the end. Votes: 0

Ever since the dawn of civilization, people have not been content to see events as unconnected and inexplicable. They have craved an understanding of the underlying order in the world. Today we still yearn to know why we are here and where we came from. Humanity's deepest desire for knowledge is justification enough for our continuing quest. And our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the universe we live in. Votes: 0

Every man should marry. After all, happiness is not the only thing in life. Votes: 0

Everyone 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. Votes: 0

For millions of years, mankind lived just like the animals. Then something happened which unleashed the power of our imagination. We learned to talk and we learned to listen. Votes: 0

Galileo , perhaps more than any other single person, was responsible for the birth of modern science. Votes: 0

God abhors a naked singularity. Votes: 0

God not only plays dice, he throws them in the corner where you can't see them. Votes: 0

Half the battle is just showing up. Votes: 0

Humanities deepest desire for knowledge is justification enough for continuing our quest. and our goal is nothing less than a complete description of the universe we live in. Votes: 0

I am damned if I'm going to die before I have unraveled more of the universe Votes: 0

I am just a child who has never grown up. I still keep asking these 'how' and 'why' questions. Occasionally, I find an answer. Votes: 0

I believe everyone should have a broad picture of how the universe operates and our place in it. It is a basic human desire. And it also puts our worries in perspective. Votes: 0

I believe in the possible. I believe, small though we are, insignificant though we may be, we can reach a full understanding of the universe. You were right when you said you felt small, looking up at all that up there. We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things. Votes: 0

I believe things cannot make themselves impossible. Votes: 0

I do not believe in a personal God. Votes: 0

I don't believe that the ultimate theory will come by steady work along existing lines. We need something new. We can't predict what that will be or when we will find it because if we knew that, we would have found it already! Votes: 0

I don't fear God- I fear His believers... Votes: 0

I don't have much positive to say about motor neuron disease, but it taught me not to pity myself because others were worse off, and to get on with what I still could do. I'm happier now than before I developed the condition. Votes: 0

I don't know what my IQ is. People who gloat about their IQ's are losers Votes: 0

I enjoy all forms of music - pop, classical and opera. Votes: 0

I have experimental evidence that time travel is not possible. Votes: 0

I have lived with the prospect of an early death for the last 49 years. I'm not afraid of death, but I'm in no hurry to die. I have so much I want to do first. I regard the brain as a computer which will stop working when its components fail. There is no heaven or afterlife for broken down computers; that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark. Votes: 0

I have sold more books on physics than Madonna has on sex. Votes: 0

I have sold more books on physics than Madonna has on sex. [Hawking adopted this statement from a remark made to him by his former post-doc, Nathan Myhrvold.] Votes: 0

I like physics, but I love cartoons. Votes: 0

I may contradict myself, but at least I don't contradict myself. Votes: 0

I put a lot of effort into writing 'A Briefer History' at a time when I was critically ill with pneumonia because I think that it's important for scientists to explain their work, particularly in cosmology. This now answers many questions once asked of religion. Votes: 0

I think my dad [ Stephen Hawking] would have been pleased if I had turned out a scientist because he truly believes that is the most interesting career open to anyone. But he also believes that you have to follow your own path in life and so he certainly wasn't going to push me toward theoretical physics when it didn't look like I was going in that direction naturally. Votes: 0

I think the human race doesn't have a future if we don't go into space. We need to expand our horizons beyond planet Earth if we are to have a long-term future. We cannot remain looking inward at ourselves on a small and increasingly polluted and overcrowded planet. We need to look outward to the wider universe. Votes: 0

I think the human race has no future if it doesn't go into space. Votes: 0

I think the next [21st] century will be the century of complexity. We have already discovered the basic laws that govern matter and understand all the normal situations. We don't know how the laws fit together, and what happens under extreme conditions. But I expect we will find a complete unified theory sometime this century. The is no limit to the complexity that we can build using those basic laws. Votes: 0

I think the next century will be the century of complexity. Votes: 0

I think the universe was spontaneously created out of nothing, according to the laws of science. It has no beginning and no end. Votes: 0

I thought Eddie Redmayne portrayed me very well... At times I thought he was me. Votes: 0

I want my books sold on airport bookstalls. Votes: 0

I would rather be right than rigorous. Votes: 0

I'd say I don't believe in God, but I'm afraid He might hear me. Votes: 0

If a superior alien civilization sent us a message saying, 'We'll arrive in a few decades', would we just reply, 'OK, call us when you get here "“ we'll leave the lights on'? Probably not "“ but this is more or less what is happening with AI, Votes: 0

If any one of about 40 physical qualities had more than slightly different values, life as we know it could not exist... Votes: 0

If at first you don't succeed, try management. Votes: 0

If everything in the universe depends upon everything else in a fundamental way, it might be impossible to get close to a full solution by investigating parts of the problem in isolation. Votes: 0

If I have questions about the universe on my mind when I go to bed, I can't turn off. I dream equations all night. Votes: 0

If I knew what was going to happen in ten years I would do it now. I just follow my nose. Votes: 0

If it [the universe] was expanding fairly slowly, the force of gravity would cause it eventually to stop expanding and then to start contracting. However, if it was expanding at more than a certain critical rate, gravity would never be strong enough to stop it, and the universe would continue to expand forever. Votes: 0

If it were only a few degrees, that would be serious, but we could adapt to it. But the danger is the warming process might be unstable and run away. We could end up like Venus, covered in clouds and with the surface temperature of 400 degrees. It could be too late if we wait until the bad effects of warming become obvious. We need action now to reduce emission of carbon dioxide. Votes: 0

If the government is covering up knowledge of aliens, they are doing a better job of it than they do at anything else. Votes: 0

If the total energy of the universe must always remain zero, and it costs energy to create a body, how can a whole universe be created from nothing? Votes: 0

If there really is a complete unified theory that governs everything, it presumably also determines your actions. But it does so in a way that is impossible to calculate for an organism that is as complicated as a human being. The reason we say that humans have free will is because we can't predict what they will do. Votes: 0

If we can avoid disaster for the next two centuries, our species should be safe as we spread into space. If we are the only intellegent beings in the galaxy we should make sure we survive and continue. . . . Our only chance of long-term survival is not to remain inward looking on planet Earth but to spread out into space. We have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space. Votes: 0

If we ever do find a complete theory of the universe, it would be a great triumph of human reason but it wouldn't leave much for us to do. We need an intellectual challenge. Votes: 0

If what we regard as real depends on our theory, how can we make reality the basis of our philosophy? ...But we cannot distinguish what is real about the universe without a theory...it makes no sense to ask if it corresponds to reality, because we do not know what reality is independent of a theory. Votes: 0

If you are lucky enough to find love, remember it is there and don't throw it away. Votes: 0

If you lined up all the cars in the world end to end, someone would try to pass them. Votes: 0

If you understand how the universe operates, you control it in a way. Votes: 0

I'm a child myself, in the sense that I'm still looking. Children are fascinated by black holes and ask me questions. I find they soon get the idea if it is explained in nontechnical language. Votes: 0

I'm here to chew gum and kick some ass, and I'm all out of gum. Votes: 0

I'm not religious in the normal sense. I believe the universe is governed by the laws of science. The laws may have been decreed by God, but God does not intervene to break the laws. Votes: 0

I'm really easy to get along with once you see it my way. Votes: 0

I'm the archetype of a disabled genius, or should I say a physically challenged genius, to be politically correct. At least I'm obviously physically challenged. Whether I'm a genius is more open to doubt. Votes: 0

I'm very interested in film making. It's telling a story, fiction or non-fiction. I have been filmed quite a lot. Contrary to popular belief, filming isn't glamorous. It can be wearingly repetitious, as the same shot is taken over and over again. Votes: 0

In A Brief History Of Time I used the word "God" like Einstein did as a shorthand for the laws of physics. However, this is not what most people mean by God, so I have decided not to use the term. The laws of physics can explain the universe without the need for a God. Votes: 0

In a world that is in chaos politically, socially and environmentally, how can the human race sustain another 100 years? Votes: 0

In effect, we have redefined the task of science to be the discovery of laws that will enable us to predict events up to the limits set by the uncertainty principle. Votes: 0

In fact, if one considers the possible constants and laws that could have emerged, the odds against a universe that produced life like ours are immense. Votes: 0

In his eyes shone the reflection of the most beautiful planet in the Universe---a planet that is not too hot and not too cold; that has liquid water on the surface and where the gravity is just right for human beings and the atmosphere is perfect for them to breathe; where there are mountains and deserts and oceans and islands and forests and trees and birds and plants and animals and insects and people---lots and lots of people. Where there is life. Some of it, possibly, intelligent. Votes: 0

In my mind, I am free. Votes: 0

In real time, the universe has a beginning and an end at singularities that form a boundary to space-time and at which the laws of science break down. Votes: 0

In the last 200 years the population of our planet has grown exponentially, at a rate of 1.9% per year. If it continued at this rate, with the population doubling every 40 years, by 2600 we would all be standing literally shoulder to shoulder. Votes: 0

Is god omnipotent ? If he is, can he create a rock so heavy he can't lift it ? Votes: 0

Issuing an insurance policy against abduction by aliens seems a pretty safe bet. Votes: 0

It [AI] would take off on its own and redesign itself at an ever increasing rate. Humans, who are limited by slow biological evolution, couldn't compete and would be superseded. Votes: 0

It is impossible to imagine a four-dimensional space. I personally find it hard enough to visualize a three-dimensional space! Votes: 0

It is reasonable to ask who or what created the universe, but if the answer is God, then the question has merely been deflected to that of who created God. Votes: 0

It is said that there's no such thing as a free lunch. But the universe is the ultimate free lunch. Votes: 0

It is tribute to how far we have come in theoretical physics that it now takes enormous machines and a great deal of money to perform experiments whose results we can not predict. Votes: 0

It is very important for young people keep their sense of wonder and keep asking why. Votes: 0

It matters if you just don't give up. Votes: 0

It often happens that I have an idea, but then I try to fill in the intermediate steps and find they don't work, so I have to give it up. Votes: 0

It was recently discovered that research causes cancer in rats. Votes: 0

It would be very difficult to explain why the universe should have begun in just this way, except as the act of a God who intended to create beings like us Votes: 0

It's clearly possible for a something to acquire higher intelligence than its ancestors: we evolved to be smarter than our ape-like ancestors, and Einstein was smarter than his parents. Votes: 0

It's the gravity that shapes the large scale structure of the universe, even though it is the weakest of four categories of forces Votes: 0

I've noticed that even people who believe in fate look both ways before crossing the street. Votes: 0

Just like a computer, we must remember things in the order in which entropy increases. This makes the second law of thermodynamics almost trivial. Disorder increases with time because we measure time in the direction in which disorder increases. You can't have a safer bet than that! Votes: 0

Latest survey shows that 3 out of 4 people make up 75% of the world's population. Votes: 0

Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers. I think the human race has no future if it doesn't go into space. I therefore want to encourage public interest in space. Votes: 0

Look up at the stars, not down at your feet. Votes: 0

Love the neighbor. But don't get caught. Votes: 0

Mankind's greatest achievements have come about by talking and its greatest failures by not talking. It doesn't have to be like this. Votes: 0

Maybe I don't have the most common kind of motor neuron disease, which usually kills in two or three years. Votes: 0

Maybe I'm being a bit harsh on philosophers, but they have not been very kind to me... I have been variously called nominalist, an instrumentalist, a positivist, a realist, and several other ists. The technique seems refutation by denigration: If you can attach a label to my approach, you don't have to say what is wrong with it... I am sure that Einstein, Heisenberg and Dirac didn't worry about whether they were realists or instrumentalists. Votes: 0

Maybe my viriety is due to bad absorption of vitamins. Votes: 0

More often than politicians, but not as often as they should. Votes: 0

Never put off the work till tomorrow what you can put off today. Votes: 0

Not to take this web of dualities as a sign we are on the right track would be a bit like believing that God put fossils into the rocks in order to mislead Darwin about the evolution of life. Votes: 0

Nothing cannot exist forever. Votes: 0

Nothing is better than reading and gaining more and more knowledge. Votes: 0

Nothing is fool-proof to a sufficiently talented fool. Votes: 0

Observations indicate that the universe is expanding at an ever-increasing rate. It will expand forever, getting emptier and darker. Although the universe doesn't have an end, it had a beginning in the Big Bang. One might ask what is before that but the answer is that there is nowhere before the Big Bang just as there is nowhere south of the South Pole. Votes: 0

Once I wept for I had no shoes. Then I met a man with no feet, so I took his shoes. I mean, it wasn't as if he was going to need them. Votes: 0

One big contribution my father [Stephen Hawking] has made is to show that having a disability does not bar you from leading a full and eventful life. Votes: 0

One can imagine that God created the universe at literally any time in the past. On the other hand, if the universe is expanding, there may be physical reasons why there had to be a beginning. One could imagine that God created the universe at the instant of the big bang, or even afterwards in just such a way as to make it look as though there had been a big bang, but it would be meaningless to suppose that it was created before the big bang. An expanding universe does not preclude a creator, but it does place limits on when he might have carried out his job! Votes: 0

One can see from space how the human race has changed the Earth. Nearly all of the available land has been cleared of forest and is now used for agriculture or urban development. The polar icecaps are shrinking and the desert areas are increasing. At night, the Earth is no longer dark, but large areas are lit up. All of this is evidence that human exploitation of the planet is reaching a critical limit. But human demands and expectations are ever-increasing. We cannot continue to pollute the atmosphere, poison the ocean and exhaust the land. There isn't any more available. Votes: 0

One can't predict the weather more than a few days in advance. Votes: 0

One can't prove that God doesn't exist, but science makes God unnecessary. The laws of physics can explain the universe without the need for a creator. Votes: 0

One could imagine such technology outsmarting financial markets, out-inventing human researchers, out-manipulating human leaders, and developing weapons we cannot even understand. Votes: 0

One could say: "The boundary condition of the universe is that it has no boundary." The universe would be completely self-contained and not affected by anything outside itself. It would neither be created nor destroyed. It would just BE. Votes: 0

One is always a long way from solving a problem until one actually has the answer. Votes: 0

One might think this means that imaginary numbers are just a mathematical game having nothing to do with the real world. From the viewpoint of positivist philosophy, however, one cannot determine what is real. All one can do is find which mathematical models describe the universe we live in. It turns out that a mathematical model involving imaginary time predicts not only effects we have already observed but also effects we have not been able to measure yet nevertheless believe in for other reasons. So what is real and what is imaginary? Is the distinction just in our minds? Votes: 0

One should love animals. They are so tasty. Votes: 0

Only a very few would allow creatures like us to exist. Thus our presence selects out from this vast array only these universes that are compatible without existence. Although we are puny and insignificant on the scale of the cosmos, this makes us in a sense, the lords of creation. Votes: 0

Only time - whatever that may be - will tell. Votes: 0

Or in other words, why does disorder increase in the same direction of time as that in which the universe expands? Votes: 0

Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill. But our genetic code still carries the selfish and aggressive instincts that were of survival advantage in the past. It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million. Our only chance of long term survival, is not to remain inward looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space. Votes: 0

Over a very small number of rolls of the dice, the uncertainty principle is very important. Votes: 0

People think I'm a Simpsons character. Votes: 0

Perhaps we could write code to optimize code, then run that code through the code optimizer? Votes: 0

Physics as we know it will be over in six months - Max Born Votes: 0

Plagiarism saves time. Votes: 0

Please join me in applauding the ESA - European Space Agency's historic efforts with the Rosetta Mission and landing a spacecraft on rotating comet. It may seem like a work of fiction, but it is very real, very impressive, and will help us to further uncover the mysteries surrounding the formation of the solar system. They made a beautiful short film using an imaginary landscape to illustrate today's historic feat. Votes: 0

Real science can be far stranger than science fiction and much more satisfying. Votes: 0

Religion believes in miracles, but these aren't compatible with science. Votes: 0

Save water. Shower with your girlfriend. Votes: 0

Science can explain the universe without the need for a Creator. Votes: 0

Science could predict that the universe must have had a beginning. Votes: 0

Science does not deny religion, it just offers a simpler alternative. Votes: 0

Science makes god unnecessary. Votes: 0

science will win because it works. Votes: 0

Scientists tend to risk theories they admire Votes: 0

Simplicity is a matter of taste Votes: 0

So when people ask me if I believe God created the universe, I tell them that the question itself makes no sense. Time didn't exist before the Big Bang, so there is no time for God to make the universe in. It's like asking for directions to the edge of the earth; the earth is a sphere, it doesn't have an edge, so looking for it is a futile exercise. Votes: 0

Some individuals are better able than others to draw the right conclusions about the world about them and act accordingly. These individuals will be more likely to survive and reproduce so their pattern of behaviour and thought will become dominant Votes: 0

Someone told me that each equation I included in my book would halve the sales. I did put in one equation, Einstein's famous equation, E = MC squared. I hope that this will not scare off half of my potential readers. Votes: 0

Sometimes I wonder if I'm as famous for my wheelchair and disabilities as I am for my discoveries Votes: 0

Succeed in spite of management. Votes: 0

Success is a relative term. It brings so many relatives. Votes: 0

TEAMWORK...means never having to take all the blame yourself. Votes: 0

The "Powers That Be" are not smart enough to engineer Armageddon, but they may yet be stupid enough. If governments are involved in covering up the knowledge of aliens, then they are doing a much better job of it than they seem to do at anything else. Votes: 0

The beatings will continue until morale improves. Votes: 0

The boundary condition of the universe is that it has no boundary. Votes: 0

The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist. Votes: 0

The human capacity for guilt is such that people can always find ways to blame themselves Votes: 0

The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression, Votes: 0

The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all. Votes: 0

The human race does not have a very good record of intelligent behavior. Votes: 0

The idea of 10 dimensions might sound exciting, but they would cause real problems if you forget where you parked your car. Votes: 0

The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time. Votes: 0

The initial configuration of the universe may have been chosen by God, or it may itself have been determined by the laws of science. In either case, it would seem that everything in the universe would then be determined by evolution according to the laws of science, so it is difficult to see how we can be masters of our fate. Votes: 0

The intelligent beings in these regions should therefore not be surprised if they observe that their locality in the universe satisfies the conditions that are necessary for their existence. It is a bit like a rich person living in a wealthy neighborhood not seeing any poverty. Votes: 0

The large-scale homogeneity of the universe makes it very difficult to believe that the structure of the universe is determined by anything so peripheral as some complicated molecular structure on a minor planet orbiting a very average star in the outer suburbs of a fairly typical galaxy. Votes: 0

The laws of science do not distinguish between the past and the future. Votes: 0

The lesson of the book is that the universe is governed by the laws of science. Votes: 0

The life we have on Earth must have spontaneously generated itself. It must therefore be possible for life to generate spontaneously elsewhere in the universe. Votes: 0

The meaning in life is not out there but inbetween our ears. In many ways this makes us the lords of creation. Votes: 0

The moment you understand the whole Universe, is the moment you slightly begin to understand the way God's mind works Votes: 0

The progress of the human race in understanding the universe has established a small corner of order in an increasingly disordered universe. Votes: 0

The question is: is the way the universe began chosen by God for reasons we can't understand, or was it determined by a law of science? I believe the second. If you like, you can call the laws of science 'God', but it wouldn't be a personal God that you could meet, and ask questions. Votes: 0

The rate of progress is so rapid that what one learns at school or university is always a bit out of date. Only a few people can keep up with the rapidly advancing frontier of knowledge, and they have to devote their whole time to it and specialize in a small area. The rest of the population has little idea of the advances that are being made or the excitement they are generating. Votes: 0

The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like. Votes: 0

The Simpsons is the best thing on American television. Votes: 0

The universe and the Laws of Physics seem to have been specifically designed for us. If any one of about 40 physical qualities had more than slightly different values, life as we know it could not exist: Either atoms would not be stable, or they wouldn't combine into molecules, or the stars wouldn't form heavier elements, or the universe would collapse before life could develop, and so on... Votes: 0

The universe does not behave according to our pre-conceived ideas. It continues to surprise us. Votes: 0

The universe doesn't allow perfection. Votes: 0

The Universe in a Nutshell Votes: 0

The victim should have the right to end his life, if he wants. But I think it would be a great mistake. However bad life may seem, there is always something you can do, and succeed at. While there's life, there is hope. Votes: 0

The wise never marry, and when they marry they become otherwise. Votes: 0

The world has changed far more in the past 100 years than in any other century in history. The reason is not political or economic but technological-technologies that flowed directly from advances in basic science. Clearly, no scientist better represents those advances than Albert Einstein: TIME's Person of the Century. Votes: 0

Then we shall... be able to take part in the discussion of the question of why it is that we and the universe exist. If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason - for then we would know the mind of God. Votes: 0

Theology is unnecessary. Votes: 0

There could be whole antiworlds and antipeople made out of antiparticles. However, if you ever meet your antiself, don't shake hands! You would both vanish in a great flash of light. Votes: 0

There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win because it works. Votes: 0

There is a real danger that computers will develop intelligence and take over. Votes: 0

There is a very real danger that we will kill everything on this planet now that we have the technological power to do so. Votes: 0

There is no prescribed route to follow to arrive at a new idea. You have to make the intuitive leap. Votes: 0

there is no prescribed route to follow to arrive at a new idea. You have to make the intuitive leap. But the difference is that once you've made the intuitive leap you have to justify it by filling in the intermediate steps. N my case, it often happens that I have an idea, but then I try to fill in the intermediate steps and find that they don't work, so I have to give it up. Votes: 0

There is no unique picture of reality. Votes: 0

There is no way that we can predict the weather six months ahead beyond giving the seasonal average Votes: 0

There is nothing bigger or older than the universe. Votes: 0

There should be no boundaries to human endeavor. However bad life may seem, there is always hope. Votes: 0

Think of our DNA. In the last million years, our DNA hasn't changed at all. It's really much the same as it was in the jungle, a million, two millions years ago. But in the last 200 years, our destructive capacities have increased many, many millions of times over. Why don't we see intelligent signals from outer space? Because in all likelihood, once the civilization reaches the point our civilization has reached, it destroys itself. Votes: 0

Thirty years ago I was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, and given two and a half years to live. I have always wondered how they could be so precise about the half. Votes: 0

This required abandoning the idea that there is a universal quantity called time that all clocks measure. Instead, everyone would have his own personal time. The clocks of two people would agree if they were at rest with respect to each other but not if they were moving. This has been confirmed by a number of experiments, including one in which an extremely accurate timepiece was flown around the world and then compared with one that had stayed in place. If you wanted to live longer, you could keep flying to the east so the speed of the plane added to the earth Votes: 0

Though we feel we can choose what we do, our understanding of the molecular basis of biology shows that biological processes are governed by the laws of physics and chemistry and therefore are as determined as the orbits of the planets. Votes: 0

thus, in a sense, we are all doomed. even if we stay away from black holes Votes: 0

Time and space are finite in extent, but they don't have any boundary or edge. They would be like the surface of the earth, but with two more dimensions. Votes: 0

Time travel may be possible, but it is not practical. Votes: 0

To boldly go where no one has gone before Votes: 0

Unless mankind redesigns itself by changing our DNA through altering our genetic makeup, computer-genera ted robots will take over our world. Votes: 0

Using e-mail, I can communicate with scientists all over the world. Votes: 0

We are entering an increasingly dangerous period of our history. But I'm an optimist. Votes: 0

We are only the temporary custodians of the particles which we are made of. They will go on to lead a future existence in the enormous universe that made them Votes: 0

We are very, very small, but we are profoundly capable of very, very big things Votes: 0

We believe human begins have existed for only a small fraction of cosmic history, because human race has been improving so rapidly in knowledge and technology that if people had been around for millions of years, the human race would be much further along in it's mastery. Votes: 0

We don't let animals suffer, so why humans? Votes: 0

We each exist for but a short time, and in that time explore but a small part of the whole universe Votes: 0

We explore because we are human. Votes: 0

We find ourselves in a bewildering world. We want to make sense of what we see around us and to ask: What is the nature of the universe? What is our place in it and where did it and we come from? Why is it the way it is? Votes: 0

We got through all of Genesis and part of Exodus before I left. One of the main things I was taught from this was not to begin a sentence with And. I pointed out that most sentences in the Bible began with And, but I was told that English had changed since the time of King James. In that case, I argued, why make us read the Bible? But it was in vain. Robert Graves was very keen on the symbolism and mysticism in the Bible at that time. Votes: 0

We live in the most probable of all possible worlds. Votes: 0

We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldnt want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach, Votes: 0

We see the universe the way it is because we exist. Votes: 0

We should seek the greatest value of our action. Votes: 0

We shouldn't be surprised that conditions in the universe are suitable for life, but this is not evidence that the universe was designed to allow for life. We could call order by the name of God, but it would be an impersonal God. There's not much personal about the laws of physics. Votes: 0

We waste time, so you don't have to. Votes: 0

We won't know for a few years. Votes: 0

We've created life in our own image. Votes: 0

What could define God, [is thinking of God] as the embodiment of the laws of nature. However, this is not what most people would think of that God. They made a human-like being with whom one can have a personal relationship. When you look at the vast size of the universe and how insignificant an accidental human life is in it, that seems most impossible. Votes: 0

What I have done is to show that it is possible for the way the universe began to be determined by the laws of science. In that case, it would not be necessary to appeal to God to decide how the universe began. This doesn't prove that there is no God, only that God is not necessary. Votes: 0

What I have learned from life is to make the most of what you have got. Votes: 0

What I meant by 'we would know the mind of God' is, we would know everything that God would know, if there were a God. Which there isn't. I'm an atheist. Votes: 0

What is important is that we have the ability to create. Votes: 0

What lies north of the North Pole? Votes: 0

What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise. Votes: 0

When I get to heaven I'm gonna find the guy in charge of the weather and kick his rear. Votes: 0

When I hear of Schrödinger's cat, I reach for my pistol. Votes: 0

When I was first diagnosed with ALS, I was given two years to live. Now 45 years later, I am doing pretty well. Votes: 0

When I was young, Stephen Hawking wasn't the world's most famous physicist. The fame didn't arrive until the publication of "A Brief History of Time," by which time I was in my late teens. When I was a child, he was well known among physicists, but they are a fairly select, serious bunch, not much given to celebrity idolizing. Votes: 0

When something is made idiot proof, they will just make better idiots. Votes: 0

When two's company, three's the result! Votes: 0

Why are we here? Where do we come from? Traditionally, these are questions for philosophy, but philosophy is dead. Votes: 0

Why do we remember the past, but not the future? Votes: 0

Why does the universe go to all the bother of existing? Votes: 0

Without imperfection, you or I would not exist. Votes: 0

Working with my father [Stephen Hawking ] is a great thrill - he has the amazing ability to hold enormous amounts of information in his head. Votes: 0

You cannot predict the future. Votes: 0

You cannot understand the glories of the universe without believing there is some Supreme Power behind it. Votes: 0

You can't regulate every lab in the world. Votes: 0

You may see a cup of tea fall off a table and break into pieces on the floor... But you will never see the cup gather itself back together and jump back on the table. The increase of disorder, or entropy, is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time. Votes: 0