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  • WEDNESDAY SEPTEMBER 5 2007 12:00 PM

A Brief History of Time, for Those Who Have Been Around Very Briefly

Submitted by Flux

Edited by erin_broadley

Tags: science fiction, physics, black holes, Stephen Hawking, books, children



What is the coolest thing you could possibly imagine ever in the history of the cosmos?


If, like me, you imagine Stephen Hawking writing science fiction books for children, then boy oh boy, are we in luck!

The renowned astrophysicist's first foray into fiction, George's Secret Key to the Universe, will be released on Thursday in French and in English the following week. It is slated to be part of a trilogy, the second book of which will be released next year. Hawking's daughter Lucy and another physicist, Christophe Galfard, assisted in the production.

"Our aim is to make real science as exciting as science fiction," Hawking said.

Lucy Hawking, a journalist and writer, told the press conference that one of her father's common refrains was, "That's too much science fiction, we do science fact."



Forgiving the slight against the genre I love, I am pretty excited about this. In the book, young George and his friends travel through the cosmos aboard an asteroid, checking out black holes and other totally neat stuff. Hawking eschews a lot of the neomagical tropes of speculative fiction in favor of science and reason. I can't speak for Hawking's native Britain, but here in the States, children's books like George's Secret Key to the Universe are a breath of deionizing air in an atmosphere of science education charged with political and religious fervor.

I hope he releases a corresponding album of children's music.

Flux isn't ashamed to admit that she teared up when she read about Stephen Hawking's expenses-paid zero-gravity flight back in April.

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Comments
Gerry_D

Gerry_D

Los Angeles, CA
May 2003

SEP 05, 2007 12:08 PM

America is still winning the war -- on science.

Hawking would be the best science columnist SG could ever have. I'd never seen MC Hawking before. Good stuff!

Munke

Munke

Penngrove, CA
May 2004

SEP 05, 2007 12:12 PM

That is sweet! Anything to help get kids more interested in science is a big plus.

RileyStClair

RileyStClair

Los Angeles, CA
September 2006

SEP 05, 2007 12:15 PM

[i teared up about that too]

this sounds rad. <3 hawking

ndklinst

ndklinst

New Albany, IN
February 2007

SEP 05, 2007 12:19 PM

I'm so buying that.

minusthepenguin

minusthepenguin

Ypsilanti, MI
August 2005

SEP 05, 2007 12:21 PM

Wow.. I'm so running out and buying that when it's released in English.

I teared up about the zero-gravity flight, too. The picture was priceless. He was so happy!

wildswan

wildswan

I'm lost
June 2006

SEP 05, 2007 12:23 PM

Even though I crush harder on Richard Feynman, I do love Hawking, and will be first in line to get this book.

Mark_plus_Beer

Mark_plus_Beer

United Kingdom
August 2005

SEP 05, 2007 12:25 PM

wow i shall have to get this book

apesamongus

apesamongus

Atlanta, GA
July 2002

SEP 05, 2007 12:34 PM

I support the idea fully, but "young George and his friends travel through the cosmos aboard an asteroid, checking out black holes and other totally neat stuff" just sounds really dull to me. I really hope there's some kind of actual story and not just a travelogue of the universe.

Garfish

Garfish

United Kingdom
August 2007

SEP 05, 2007 12:38 PM


What is the coolest thing you could possibly imagine ever in the history of the cosmos?



Steven Hawking kitted out in a mech. battling the pope as they balance on the event horizon of a black hole.

... *reads article*

I was damn close people.

d20

d20

San Francisco, CA
September 2003

SEP 05, 2007 12:47 PM

pedrothebobcat said:
I teared up about the zero-gravity flight, too. The picture was priceless. He was so happy!



it really was priceless. after all he's done for the entire human race, he at the very, very least deserved to be set free for a little while.

autarchist

autarchist

Seattle, WA
June 2007

SEP 05, 2007 12:54 PM

Completely awesome!
Maybe kid geniuses will be inspired or invoked by his books. smile

I did hear Hawking is massively into robots and has cautioned against the Terminator/Matrix robot AI takeover scenario....so if he is also not into the 'fiction' part of science, we better take heed. (eyes iPhone suspiciously)

Rapid_Fire

Rapid_Fire

Saskatoon, SK
July 2007

SEP 05, 2007 12:58 PM

Garfish said:
Steven Hawking kitted out in a mech. battling the pope as they balance on the event horizon of a black hole.



SHHHHH!!! you'll give away the ending to the trilogy!

Zort

Zort

Milton, ON
July 2006

SEP 05, 2007 01:04 PM

first: MC Hawking will fuck you up.
secondly: I have a tremendous amount of respect for Steven Hawking, I will admit that I got a little choked up at the story of his suborbital flight. I think that this childrens book is a great idea, and a part of me would like to see it really take off.
mad props to the original gangsta, MC Hawking.

rodan

rodan

Baltimore, MD
February 2005

SEP 05, 2007 01:24 PM

The Hawk man writing kid's sf books? cool! I'll haveta buy one for my kid! biggrin

Formus

Formus

Milwaukee, WI
May 2007

SEP 05, 2007 01:47 PM

Stephen Hawking in Harry Potter



God I love Alfonso Cuaron.

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