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7/17/04

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Christopher

Christopher

Portland, OR
November 2002

JUL 16, 2004 12:00 AM

In February of 1997, Professors Stephen Hawking and Kip Thorne bet Professor John P. Preskill that “when an initial pure quantum state undergoes gravitational collapse to form a black hole, the final state at the end of black hole evaporation will always be a pure quantum state.” Today, Professor Hawking conceded that he owes Professor Preskill “an encyclopedia of the winner's choice, from which information can be recovered at will.”

Under this theory, black holes are not totally "black" because the vacuum of the imploding star lets out very tiny amounts of matter and energy in the form of photons, neutrinos and other subparticles.

By conjuring up this so-called "Hawking radiation," the Cambridge mathematician, who is paralyzed by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also created one of the biggest conundrums in physics.

These particles, he said, contained no information about what has been occurring inside the black hole, or how it formed. Under his theory, once the black hole evaporates, all the information within would be lost.

But now, according to his latest revision, Hawking argues that eventually some of the information about the black hole can be determined from what it emits.

He will present his findings at the 17th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation in Dublin, Ireland, on July 21.

Ghoulish

Ghoulish

Orlando, FL
May 2003

JUL 16, 2004 12:23 AM

Stephen Hawking is my hero.

Jeff_Fries

Jeff_Fries

Humptulips, WA
September 2003

JUL 16, 2004 12:28 AM

An "encyclopedia"? Why not buy him an "internet"?

Oninotaki

oninotaki

Ypsilanti, MI
March 2003

JUL 16, 2004 12:30 AM

the last bet those too had the winner got a subscription to penthouse. Of course my mind might just be making this up as it is 3:30 in the morning, but I think thats right.

royaljack

royaljack

Brooklyn, NY
OLD SKOOL

JUL 16, 2004 12:42 AM

That Hawking guy owes me $20! Deadbeat.

Coliwali

Coliwali

I'm lost
February 2003

JUL 16, 2004 12:43 AM

"Whereas Stephen Hawking has such a large investment in General Relativity and Black Holes and desires an insurance policy, whereas Kip Thorne likes to live dangerously without an insurance policy. Therefore be it resolved that Stephen Hawking bets 1 year's subscription to "Penthouse" as against Kip Thorne's wager of of a 4-year subscription to "Private Eye", that Cygnus x-1 does not contain a black hole of mass above the Chandrasekhar Limit."

Al

Al

SUICIDEGIRL

Christmas Island

JUL 16, 2004 01:26 AM

Yeah, I too am wondering why that other guy didn't want Penthouse... or maybe a subscription to SG. Hey! Someone buy the guy a subscription to SG.

Evolkix

Evolkix

Van Nuys, CA
March 2004

JUL 16, 2004 01:36 AM

Wait a second.....

Hawkings said that black holes are not totally "black" because the vacuum of the imploding star lets out very tiny amounts of matter and energy in the form of photons, neutrinos and other subparticles. and therefor contained no information about what has been occurring inside the black hole, or how it formed.....



what a fucking RUBE!!!!!!!

ChezGeek

ChezGeek

Port Orchard, WA
January 2004

JUL 16, 2004 01:44 AM

i sooo want his autograph....oh ...waitaminute... seriously tho, id give a testicle to meet this man. pure fucking genius.

Otto

Otto

Spokane, WA
January 2004

JUL 16, 2004 01:49 AM

Can you really lose a bet if you can't provide actual proof. This could be disputed for 20 years.

vader

vader

Las Vegas, NV
OLD SKOOL

JUL 16, 2004 01:52 AM

he should have taken Magueijo's VSL theorem serious when he had the chance, instead of sitting on the Cambridge Mathematics throne Newton-style biggrin

rottenart

rottenart

Norman, OK
February 2004

JUL 16, 2004 01:52 AM

my dad did a portrait of stephen hawking and sent a copy to him in oxford. he got a letter back with his (somewhat) signature and a note typed by his secretary. my dad had a boner for a week.

that just made me go "ew."

Evolkix

Evolkix

Van Nuys, CA
March 2004

JUL 16, 2004 02:05 AM

rottenart said:
my dad did a portrait of stephen hawking and sent a copy to him in oxford. he got a letter back with his (somewhat) signature and a note typed by his secretary. my dad had a boner for a week.

that just made me go "ew."



Your dad's boner???

sakita

sakita

Sweden
February 2003

JUL 16, 2004 02:07 AM

I have mad respect for the man.

jerry031

jerry031

Anchorage, AK
April 2003

JUL 16, 2004 03:57 AM

Otto said:
Can you really lose a bet if you can't provide actual proof. This could be disputed for 20 years.



It's all about mathematics, my friend. You don't actually have to "see" the sub-atomic particles, nor do you have to interrogate them. If the theory is proven sound mathematically, that's a set of encyclopeidas.

apesamongus

apesamongus

Atlanta, GA
July 2002

JUL 16, 2004 05:14 AM

Otto said:
Can you really lose a bet if you can't provide actual proof. This could be disputed for 20 years.



Well, Hawking's a scientist, not a dickhead.

MisterSatan

MisterSatan

Portland, OR
August 2002

JUL 16, 2004 05:19 AM

Take THAT, "Professor" Hawking! Not so smart NOW, are ya? tongue

FlotsomandJetsom

FlotsomandJetsom

Waban, MA
November 2003

JUL 16, 2004 05:56 AM

Is Hawking a Kerry fan, because he changes his mind on important things too ooo aaa

sigmagee

sigmagee

Chicago, IL
June 2004

JUL 16, 2004 06:22 AM

Jerry said:

Otto said:
Can you really lose a bet if you can't provide actual proof. This could be disputed for 20 years.



It's all about mathematics, my friend. You don't actually have to "see" the sub-atomic particles, nor do you have to interrogate them. If the theory is proven sound mathematically, that's a set of encyclopeidas.



Certainly, within a given model, one can prove and disprove assertions... but new observations could certainly bring doubt about the validity of the model.

It would be concievable that observations could bring variations of hawkings's model in and out of fashion, such that certain variations make him win his bet and others make him lose.

Nonchalance

Nonchalance

United Kingdom
January 2003

JUL 16, 2004 06:23 AM

To quote Father Ted on Stephen Hawking after recalling doing an impersonation of him:

"He was that last person i expected to turn up... he can move fairly fast in that wheelchair when he's angry can't he."

biggrin

jake_lex

jake_lex

Lexington, KY
February 2003

JUL 16, 2004 08:00 AM

I prefer David Cross' imitation of Stephen Hawking with a prostitute myself.

mQx

mqx

Seattle, WA
January 2003

JUL 16, 2004 11:10 AM

THIS is Hawking's greatest gift to mankind.

dirtyground

dirtyground

Chicago, IL
August 2003

JUL 16, 2004 12:26 PM

this is the equivalent of a hip hop MC battle.

nerds fucking own.