January 8: historical facts and curiosities

Today is a great day to plan ahead and organize your upcoming commitments.

Today marks the birthday of Stephen Hawking (1942-2018), a brilliant British theoretical physicist and cosmologist. Despite battling amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) for most of his adult life, he made groundbreaking contributions to our understanding of black holes and the origins of the universe. His work, like the theory that black holes emit radiation (Hawking radiation), revolutionized astrophysics. He also popularized science through bestsellers like "A Brief History of Time," inspiring millions globally.