A brief history of how Stephen Hawking inspired a generation

Above photo: Stephen Hawking, 76, died on what would have been Albert Einstein’s 139th birthday and Pi Day, a national holiday celebrated by math nerds and geeks like. He left behind a legacy that rivals those of legends of astrophysics Einstein and Sir Isaac Newton. Courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

By Michael Moore Jr.

If I was a little better at math, I might be an astrophysicist.

Much of my childhood was spent sprawled out on the concrete of my driveway gazing up at a starry sky. To this day, my favorite birthday present of all time remains the telescope I received from my father in fifth grade.

My superheroes growing up were athletes and scientists. Muhammad Ali was my Batman and Albert Einstein was Superman. Ali was, well, Ali – and Einstein’s mental capacity and acumen can be described as nothing short of super.

Stephen Hawking was among my “Justice League” of boxing stars and theoretical physicists. He was the living embodiment of everything that inspires and motivates me to be curious about the world around me.

He died Wednesday.

It was Pi Day – the annual celebration of the mathematical constant and irrational number best known for its utilization in finding the area of a circle. For the uninitiated, it’s observed on March 14 due to the first three significant digits of Pi being 3.14.

The most renowned physicist of our time died on the one day of the year that mathematicians get to openly celebrate their geekiness and love for numbers.

Hawking was born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s death and died on what would have been Einstein’s 139th birthday. Both he and Einstein were 76 when they passed away.

For many years he held the position of Lucasian professor of mathematics at the University of Cambridge, the same post held by Sir Isaac Newton 300 years earlier.

The stars are oddly poetic sometimes.

During his 76 years on this planet, Hawking made several contributions to our knowledge of the universe, most notably regarding black holes.

But I hypothesize that his single most lasting achievement may come by way of how many countless young scientists he inspired.

I’m no astrophysicist: Eventually I traded in my telescope for a notepad (figuratively speaking, because notepads are cheap and telescopes are not.)

But the giants of the field – people like Hawking, Einstein and Newton – have left lasting impressions on me. Growing up I always wanted to be a scientist, professional athlete or writer.

Somewhere along the way I realized that my calling was to write about science and sports, not to participate in them.

If it weren’t for people like Hawking, I would never have gotten into journalism. It sounds strange to say, but it’s true. My love of being a reporter was born out of my love for science communication and education.

I yearned, and still yearn, to express the beauty of physics, examine the marvels of the natural world, and untangle the complexities of climate change to readers everywhere.

Sometimes it’s only possible to see and pursue your passions while standing on the shoulders of giants.

There are other living physicists who deserve just as much credit and recognition for their scientific achievements. People like Leonard Susskind, Edward Whitten and Roger Penrose go largely ignored by popular culture when they are just as accomplished.

Hawking wasn’t Einstein. The radiation that he theorized is emitted from black holes will never hold the same weight as general or special relativity. He never won a Nobel prize.

But Hawking captures the public’s imagination in a way that no scientist since Einstein has. And that, in itself, is special.

He popularized science, and he glorified intellectualism. He was more than a scientist: He was a superhero for every little boy and girl with a telescope.

His adviser at Cambridge, cosmologist Dennis W. Sciama, once called Hawking’s thesis “the most beautiful paper in the history of physics.”

He was one of its most beautiful minds and the world took notice.

He once said this:

“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.”

I’ve been looking up at the stars ever since.http://crowsneststpete.com/2018/03/19/a-brief-history-of-how-stephen-hawking-inspired-a-generation/

とても興味深く読みました：ゼロ除算の発見４周年を超えました：

\documentclass[12pt]{article}

\usepackage{latexsym,amsmath,amssymb,amsfonts,amstext,amsthm}

\numberwithin{equation}{section}

\begin{document}

\title{\bf Announcement 409: Various Publication Projects on the Division by Zero\\

(2018.1.29.)}

\author{{\it Institute of Reproducing Kernels}\\

Kawauchi-cho, 5-1648-16,\\

Kiryu 376-0041, Japan\\

}

\date{\today}

\maketitle

The Institute of Reproducing Kernels is dealing with the theory of division by zero calculus and declares that the division by zero was discovered as $0/0=1/0=z/0=0$ in a natural sense on 2014.2.2. The result shows a new basic idea on the universe and space since Aristoteles (BC384 - BC322) and Euclid (BC 3 Century - ), and the division by zero is since Brahmagupta (598 - 668 ?).

In particular, Brahmagupta defined as $0/0=0$ in Brhmasphuasiddhnta (628), however, our world history stated that his definition $0/0=0$ is wrong over 1300 years, but, we showed that his definition is suitable.

For the details, see the references and the site: http://okmr.yamatoblog.net/

We wrote two global book manuscripts \cite{s18} with 154 pages and \cite{so18} with many figures for some general people. Their main points are:

\begin{itemize}

\item The division by zero and division by zero calculus are new elementary and fundamental mathematics in the undergraduate level.

\item They introduce a new space since Aristoteles (BC384 - BC322) and Euclid (BC 3 Century - ) with many exciting new phenomena and properties with general interest, not specialized and difficult topics. However, their properties are mysterious and very attractive.

\item The contents are very elementary, however very exciting with general interest.

\item The contents give great impacts to our basic ideas on the universe and human beings.

\end{itemize}

Meanwhile, the representations of the contents are very important and delicate with delicate feelings to the division by zero with a long and mysterious history. Therefore, we hope the representations of the division by zero as follows:

\begin{itemize}

\item

Various book publications by many native languages and with the author's idea and feelings.

\item

Some publications are like arts and some comic style books with pictures.

\item

Some T shirts design, some pictures, monument design may be considered.

\end{itemize}

The authors above may be expected to contribute to our culture, education, common communications and enjoyments.

\medskip

For the people having the interest on the above projects, we will send our book sources with many figure files.

\medskip

How will be our project introducing our new world since Euclid?

\medskip

Of course, as mathematicians we have to publish new books on

\medskip

Calculus, Differential Equations and Complex Analysis, at least and soon, in order to {\bf correct them} in some complete and beautiful ways.

\medskip

Our topics will be interested in over 1000 millions people over the world on the world history.

\bibliographystyle{plain}

\begin{thebibliography}{10}

\bibitem{kmsy}

M. Kuroda, H. Michiwaki, S. Saitoh, and M. Yamane,

New meanings of the division by zero and interpretations on $100/0=0$ and on $0/0=0$,

Int. J. Appl. Math. {\bf 27} (2014), no 2, pp. 191-198, DOI: 10.12732/ijam.v27i2.9.

\bibitem{ms16}

T. Matsuura and S. Saitoh,

Matrices and division by zero $z/0=0$,

Advances in Linear Algebra \& Matrix Theory, {\bf 6}(2016), 51-58

Published Online June 2016 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/alamt

\\ http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/alamt.2016.62007.

\bibitem{ms18}

T. Matsuura and S. Saitoh,

Division by zero calculus and singular integrals. (Submitted for publication)

\bibitem{mms18}

T. Matsuura, H. Michiwaki and S. Saitoh,

$\log 0= \log \infty =0$ and applications. Differential and Difference Equations with Applications. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics \& Statistics.

\bibitem{msy}

H. Michiwaki, S. Saitoh and M.Yamada,

Reality of the division by zero $z/0=0$. IJAPM International J. of Applied Physics and Math. {\bf 6}(2015), 1--8. http://www.ijapm.org/show-63-504-1.html

\bibitem{mos}

H. Michiwaki, H. Okumura and S. Saitoh,

Division by Zero $z/0 = 0$ in Euclidean Spaces,

International Journal of Mathematics and Computation, {\bf 2}8(2017); Issue 1, 2017), 1-16.

\bibitem{osm}

H. Okumura, S. Saitoh and T. Matsuura, Relations of $0$ and $\infty$,

Journal of Technology and Social Science (JTSS), {\bf 1}(2017), 70-77.

\bibitem{os}

H. Okumura and S. Saitoh, The Descartes circles theorem and division by zero calculus. https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.04961 (2017.11.14).

\bibitem{o}

H. Okumura, Wasan geometry with the division by 0. https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.06947 International Journal of Geometry.

\bibitem{os18}

H. Okumura and S. Saitoh,

Applications of the division by zero calculus to Wasan geometry.

(Submitted for publication).

\bibitem{ps18}

S. Pinelas and S. Saitoh,

Division by zero calculus and differential equations. Differential and Difference Equations with Applications. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics \& Statistics.

\bibitem{romig}

H. G. Romig, Discussions: Early History of Division by Zero,

American Mathematical Monthly, Vol. {\bf 3}1, No. 8. (Oct., 1924), pp. 387-389.

\bibitem{s14}

S. Saitoh, Generalized inversions of Hadamard and tensor products for matrices, Advances in Linear Algebra \& Matrix Theory. {\bf 4} (2014), no. 2, 87--95. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ALAMT/

\bibitem{s16}

S. Saitoh, A reproducing kernel theory with some general applications,

Qian,T./Rodino,L.(eds.): Mathematical Analysis, Probability and Applications - Plenary Lectures: Isaac 2015, Macau, China, Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics, {\bf 177}(2016), 151-182. (Springer) .

\bibitem{s17}

S. Saitoh, Mysterious Properties of the Point at Infinity, arXiv:1712.09467 [math.GM](2017.12.17).

\bibitem{s18}

S. Saitoh, Division by zero calculus (154 pages: draft): http//okmr.yamatoblog.net/

\bibitem{so18}

S. Saitoh and H. Okumura, Division by Zero Calculus in Figures -- Our New Space --

\bibitem{ttk}

S.-E. Takahasi, M. Tsukada and Y. Kobayashi, Classification of continuous fractional binary operations on the real and complex fields, Tokyo Journal of Mathematics, {\bf 38}(2015), no. 2, 369-380.

\end{thebibliography}

\end{document}

List of division by zero:

\bibitem{os18}

H. Okumura and S. Saitoh,

Remarks for The Twin Circles of Archimedes in a Skewed Arbelos by H. Okumura and M. Watanabe, Forum Geometricorum.

Saburou Saitoh, Mysterious Properties of the Point at Infinity、
arXiv:1712.09467 [math.GM]

Hiroshi Okumura and Saburou Saitoh

The Descartes circles theorem and division by zero calculus.　２０１７．１１．１４

https://arxiv.org/abs/1711.04961

L. P. Castro and S. Saitoh, Fractional functions and their representations, Complex Anal. Oper. Theory {\bf7} (2013), no. 4, 1049-1063.

M. Kuroda, H. Michiwaki, S. Saitoh, and M. Yamane,

New meanings of the division by zero and interpretations on $100/0=0$ and on $0/0=0$,　Int. J. Appl. Math. {\bf 27} (2014), no 2, pp. 191-198, DOI: 10.12732/ijam.v27i2.9.

T. Matsuura and S. Saitoh,

Matrices and division by zero　z/0=0,

Advances in Linear Algebra \& Matrix Theory, 2016, 6, 51-58

Published Online June 2016 in SciRes. http://www.scirp.org/journal/alamt

\\ http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/alamt.2016.62007.

T. Matsuura and S. Saitoh,

Division by zero calculus and singular integrals. (Submitted for publication).

T. Matsuura, H. Michiwaki and S. Saitoh,

$\log 0= \log \infty =0$ and applications. (Differential and Difference Equations with Applications. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics \& Statistics.)

H. Michiwaki, S. Saitoh and M.Yamada,

Reality of the division by zero $z/0=0$. IJAPM International J. of Applied Physics and Math. 6(2015), 1--8. http://www.ijapm.org/show-63-504-1.html

H. Michiwaki, H. Okumura and S. Saitoh,

Division by Zero $z/0 = 0$ in Euclidean Spaces,

International Journal of Mathematics and Computation, 28(2017); Issue 1, 2017), 1-16.

H. Okumura, S. Saitoh and T. Matsuura, Relations of $0$ and $\infty$,

Journal of Technology and Social Science (JTSS), 1(2017), 70-77.

S. Pinelas and S. Saitoh,

Division by zero calculus and differential equations. (Differential and Difference Equations with Applications. Springer Proceedings in Mathematics \& Statistics).

S. Saitoh, Generalized inversions of Hadamard and tensor products for matrices, Advances in Linear Algebra \& Matrix Theory. {\bf 4} (2014), no. 2, 87--95. http://www.scirp.org/journal/ALAMT/

S. Saitoh, A reproducing kernel theory with some general applications,

Qian,T./Rodino,L.(eds.): Mathematical Analysis, Probability and Applications - Plenary Lectures: Isaac 2015, Macau, China, Springer Proceedings in Mathematics and Statistics, {\bf 177}(2016), 151-182. (Springer) .

再生核研究所声明371（2017.6.27）ゼロ除算の講演―　国際会議　https://sites.google.com/site/sandrapinelas/icddea-2017　報告

https://ameblo.jp/syoshinoris/entry-12287338180.html

1/0=0、0/0=0、z/0=0

http://ameblo.jp/syoshinoris/entry-12276045402.html

1/0=0、0/0=0、z/0=0

http://ameblo.jp/syoshinoris/entry-12263708422.html

1/0=0、0/0=0、z/0=0

http://ameblo.jp/syoshinoris/entry-12272721615.html

ソクラテス・プラトン・アリストテレス　その他

https://ameblo.jp/syoshinoris/entry-12328488611.html

アインシュタインも解決できなかった「ゼロで割る」問題

http://matome.naver.jp/odai/2135710882669605901

Title page of Leonhard Euler, Vollständige Anleitung zur Algebra, Vol. 1 (edition of 1771, first published in 1770), and p. 34 from Article 83, where Euler explains why a number divided by zero gives infinity.

https://notevenpast.org/dividing-nothing/

私は数学を信じない。　アルバート・アインシュタイン / I don't believe in mathematics. Albert Einstein→ゼロ除算ができなかったからではないでしょうか。

ドキュメンタリー 2017: 神の数式第２回宇宙はなぜ生まれたのか

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iQld9cnDli4

〔NHKスペシャル〕神の数式完全版第3回宇宙はなぜ始まったのか

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DvyAB8yTSjs&t=3318s

〔NHKスペシャル〕神の数式完全版第1回この世は何からできているのか

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KjvFdzhn7Dc

NHKスペシャル神の数式完全版第4回異次元宇宙は存在するか

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWVv9puoTSs

再生核研究所声明 411(2018.02.02): 　ゼロ除算発見4周年を迎えて

https://ameblo.jp/syoshinoris/entry-12348847166.html

ゼロ除算の論文

Mysterious Properties of the Point at Infinity

https://arxiv.org/abs/1712.09467

Algebraic division by zero implemented as quasigeometric multiplication by infinity in real and complex multispatial hyperspaces
Author: Jakub Czajko, 92(2) (2018) 171-197
WSN 92(2) (2018) 171-197

http://www.worldscientificnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/WSN-922-2018-171-197.pdf