Dear Dr. Hawking ...

Posted: Tuesday, January 09, 2007 11:37 PM by Alan Boyle

What would you ask Stephen Hawking? Hawking is arguably the most famous physicist in the world today, because of his mental ability as well as his physical disability, so there’s precious little that hasn’t been asked already. Do black holes destroy everything they consume? Yes … um, better make that no. Favorite American TV show? “The Simpsons.” Historical personage he’d most like to meet? Marilyn Monroe. And so on…

Since Hawking will soon be making a sojourn in these parts, we just might have an opportunity to send a few fresh questions his way. So here’s your opportunity to suggest the top question that’s on your mind when it comes to the good doctor and his work.

There are no guarantees - but between now and April, when Hawking is due to deliver a lecture in Seattle, we might have a chance to slip him a few questions. Of course we'll have to hit the lofty heights (for example, what sort of evidence would support his top-down theory for the universe's creation?) as well as some pop-culture questions (seen any good time-travel movies lately?). And for this exercise, let's stay away from the unpleasant personal questions - for example, anything about his messy divorce or reports of abuse.

To brush up on your Hawking lore, check out the latest interview from The Telegraph, plus The Guardian's visit in 2005, astrophysicist/author Gregory Benford's visit back in 2002 and my own report on a virtual lecture. Then pose your questions in the comments section below.

If I get a chance to send questions to Hawking, I promise to include at least one of the submitted queries. And if not ... I think your suggestions will make for interesting reading nevertheless.

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Comments

As a researcher, loving facts, given the opportunity, in history who (or what for an institution) would you love to be able to ask "See how WRONG you were?" and why?

Anders Ferrington, Jackson Mississippi (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 1:08 AM)

I don't know if I would waste his time with this, but here goes: Why do some articles and publications (by scientists) in the popular domain describe black holes as "infinitely small" or a "singularity" while others will give a physical size, such as the Cyngus black hole at 20 miles diameter?

Which is it, vanishingly small or with physical dimensions?

MiKe Maddox (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 1:51 AM)

Will this planet be able to survive man's intrusion? If maybe not, is there hope we can survive on another planet, or place, in outer space?

Ted Hiedeman Denver, Colorado (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 2:48 AM)

Mr. Hawking (and Mr. Boyle, for that matter),

What do you believe will be the future of the NewSpace organizations like SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin, etc. and is it important for them to succeed?

I support you for knighthood! (You too Mr. Boyle)

Andy Motherway, MPLS, MN (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 3:25 AM)

How long do you predict it will take for humans to know what is beyond this universe?

Bill Weaver., Whitehall, PA. (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 5:26 AM)

Mr. Hawking, If the universe is ever expanding, why will the galaxy andromeda eventually collide with the milky way galaxy.

Gene Seawright, Parrish, Fla (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 5:50 AM)

How distant is the research for Holographic use? Is it not so possible that through technology we can Holograph images (in Living color & sound) into our domain and visa-versa and communicate when the moment is called upon! It would be Grand to have a Reality-moment sitting in my living room and enjoying a cup of Holographic java!

Respectfully,
joseph santangelo

PS: I Respectively Admire Dr. Hawking and would Honestly Enjoy a Holographic Visit with the Good Doctor!

joseph santangelo, Binghamton NY (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 6:50 AM)

Dr. Hawking:
String theory has been proposed as being able to unify Einstein's general relativity and quantum mechanics. Dr. Hawking, do you believe string theory is the Holy Grail of moderm physics and if so how has it or will it impact our understanding of the universe both great and small?

John B Mcclellanville SC (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 6:54 AM)

Dear Sir Stephen, Is time a vibration?

roger jones, chapel hill, nc (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 6:59 AM)

Questions about a couple of theories I have seen in the last few years. First, something I'm sure Julian Barbour would like to ask him: Does time exist? (It would make the math so much easier if it didn't.) Second, assuming the answer to the first question is yes, what does he think of the theory put forth by Louise Riofrio, that Gm=tc^3?

Ed Minchau (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:18 AM)

The space-time fabric has been described as a sheet of rubber where when mass is placed upon it the fabric bends, much as a bowling ball on a trampoline. But the plane of the trampoline has only a single vector. How can we picture this with infinite planar vectors, which is closer to reality?

Kendor (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:46 AM)

Where does the universe end? Is it infinite? I've heard that the universe expands at the speed of light, but what is it expanding into?

N. Anthony, Canada (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:51 AM)

Dr. Hawking, if the human race must move beyond Earth and colonize other planets in order to survive how can we overcome the vast distances of space and the limitations of travelling at the speed of light?

Tim Nixon, Wethersfield, CT (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 7:56 AM)

Mr. Hawkins, Is personification necessary in defining God?

Sam Acosta, Saint Petersburg, Florida (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:12 AM)

If the graviton mediates the force of gravity, how can it escape the event horizon?

William Donelson, London, UK (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:18 AM)

Is it possible to prove the top-down theory (or any alternate universe) when all the possible conditions to make up our current existence are the only ones we have to work with? If a separate reality split off a billion years ago, how could we know that?

Maryann Fenton, Rochester, NH (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:19 AM)

if the universe was made of 2 particules.these 2 particules will eventually collide.yes... Jean La Salle

jean lasalle monreal canada (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:32 AM)

What happens if two black holes meet? Will the 'strongest' consume the other one, eventualy reducing the universe to one, triggering a second big bang?

Steven Vanhee, Oostrozebeke, Belgium (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:42 AM)

do you think that humanity has some higher ultimate purpose in life than it's current and past history of hate,violence and destruction? and if yes, defend your conclusion.

stephen fields,titusville,fl. (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:43 AM)

I would have to ask Dr. Hawking about FTL travel. He said himself recently that reaching those speeds in order to explore/discover/colonize other worlds is the key to our future. I am wondering how close we are to achieving anything remotely fast enough, and what the probability is that we will make major breakthroughs in that area in the next, say, 30 years.

Jeff Brewster, Jacksonville, FL (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:44 AM)

Mr. Hawking,

What would you think of a concept that "Bright Matter" comes from and is the evaporate from "Dark Mater"; and that "Bright Matter" condenses (returns) back to "Dark Matter" through the Black Hole process?

anonymous, Concord, Ma. USA 01742 (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:52 AM)

As Stephen Wright asked: What is the speed of dark?

John Kerr, Sherwood, AR (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:55 AM)

How does eternity keep ahead of us?

Peter Thorpe (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:57 AM)

Since we now firmly believe "dark matter" exists, would you support the idea of a "Good God" and an opposite "Bad God" existing before the big bang?

Doug Mohler, Gulfport, MS (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 8:58 AM)

Dear Dr Hawking,

How close do you think that mankind is to unlocking the secrets of the Universe that would give us insight to a clean and viable energy source, like cold fusion, that would allow mankind to start spreading out amongst the solar system and, indeed, the Universe?

As I see it, this increases our chances of survival as a race of sentient beings who currently are confined to mother Earth. Being confined here, there are a plethora of possible scenario's that could wipe out life here on Earth, some of them man-made, some of them Mother Nature.

Thank you for your contribution to the sciences. There is no way to measure the positive impact you have had on all of us.

God-speed.

Joe, a commoner, Massachusetts (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:00 AM)

Dr. Hawking, What is the most important thing mankind can do to stop global warming or are we too late?

Kat (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:02 AM)

Since Planck's constant is decreasing and the rate of expansion of the universe is increasing, are these directly related? Do they represent a universal tangent wave?

Hiram Minzenmayer, Jr., Littleton, CO (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:20 AM)

Mike: The two different sizes refer to the size of the singularity and of the event horizon. No sensors can return data from within the event horizon, and nothing can emerge from within it. Thus, the event horizon (20 miles in this case) is the effective size of the black hole as far of the rest of the universe is concerned.

The singularity, if such a thing exists, lies within the event horizon. It is the ultimate fate of all matter which falls into the black hole. Current theories are not clear on what happens in the center of a black hole, but seem to indicate that the singularity would have near zero size.

Martin Michalak, Orlando, Fl (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:24 AM)

Mr. Hawking,

Do you believe in God, or through science is the idea of God completely discounted for you?

Jennifer Grant, Dallas, TX (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:24 AM)

What do you think of the idea that the Earth needs to preserved exactly as it is today, not allowing the evolutionary changes that we are causing to proceed as they would if we did not intervene?

Raymond P. Bilodeau, Worcester, MA (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:26 AM)

Mr. Hawking,
Regarding the condition that put you in your wheelchair, what are your views about the current debate in the U.S. regarding fully funding stem-cell research, and what would you say to those who oppose such research that might lead to a cure for your condition?

Brian (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:34 AM)

Mr. Hawking,

Do you believe in a god, in the sense of a being that created the universe and is interested and involved in the affairs of human beings?

L.D. Pardue, Durham, NC (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:41 AM)

Dr. Hawking,

Is the gradient strength of gravity near the event horizon sufficiently strong to fracture an atom's nucleus, thereby transmuting the mass into energy that then escapes?

Patrick Reavis, Martin, Tennessee (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:44 AM)

Has there ever been research into solar cycles and global warming? Could the 10,000 year cycle of ice age be solar driven? Also, could magnetic pole reversal contibute to an extinction event from a temporary loss of the magnetosphere?

Thank you

Henry Reed

Henry Reed, New Berlin, Wiscinsin (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:49 AM)

If the Big Bang was first a "small seed" that exploded, so to speak, does any one know the general direction of the original pinpoint from earth. Or, which way would I point?

Hap Baer, Worthington, OH, (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:53 AM)

Mr. Hawking, If our sun was created by a Nova event, where is the black hole, dwarf star, or neutron star that was left after the event (our parent star)?

Mark Hoover (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 9:58 AM)

since the universe is expanding constantly, like ripples in a pond, from the big bang, is it possible that somewhere else in the universe another big bang event could happen? if that would occur & the ripples of energy were large enough, could it destroy our known universe & reset the forming of solar systems & planets?

tony c - columbus ohio (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:00 AM)

The diversity of living organisms smacks of a basal organic imperative to explore all possibilities ( a sort of fractal engine). With that in mind, what do you see as the end product of organic recombination?

Troy Boyle, Erlanger, Kentucky (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:16 AM)

I have a question about observations of the earliest instances of our universe, shortly after the big bang. Since the universe was so much smaller just after the big bang, wouldn't the light from these earliest galaxies already have passed us by?

Brian Schnurman, West Sayville, NY (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:32 AM)

Dr. Hawkings, Much like Lance Armstrong credits his cancer for making him much of what he is today, he tells us that it is why he has achieved so much. Do you feel that your disablity has driven you and because you are disabled has that given you more time to train your strengths, your mind?

Erik Singletary (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:40 AM)

If,"E=MC2", would you be matter? or antimatter? or would it even matter? Thanks..

Homer Gonzalez, austin, texas (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:42 AM)

Dr. Hawking,

What are your thoughts on global population control? Given the impractical assumption that man will colonize other planets in time to supplement the Earths growing nutritional, mineral, and energy needs, how should mankind be planning for our long-term survival (or at least achieving a sustainable balance of supply/demand)?

Best wishes.

Freddy Lutz, Catasauqua, PA (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:44 AM)

What is your best guess as to what is occuring inside of Black Holes? With this environment of gigantic gravity and heat, would nucleosynthesis still occur?

Ed Field Natchez, MS (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:47 AM)

Is it possible that all black holes share the same singularity?

Johnny Jones, Oneida, TN (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:49 AM)

Do you believe our species is self destructive?

B E Prowell, Chandler, AZ (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:53 AM)

Do you believe there is some way to circumvent relativity and travel across the galaxy via wormholes, warp drive, or other means? Or is this simply the realm of science fiction?

Kevin Schillo, Tampa, Florida (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 10:53 AM)

Since a million with a million zeros written a million times multiplied by a billion a billion times is not even a second when compared to infinity; Is it safe to assume that all things in this universe (even us) a re-cycled, and we will be "born again" somewhere else in the universe, a long time from now??

David J Peeler Pottstown, Pa. 19464 610-323-0895 (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:01 AM)

How much power do you think it would take to instigate a wormhole for interstellar travel? And what kind of power (Nuclear, electromagnetic)?

Michael Burke, Edmond, Oklahoma (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:08 AM)

Do you think those were aliens over Chicago O'Hair?

Debbie, Bloomington, IN (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:11 AM)

I would like your opinion of an article concerning Dark Matter that I recently read. The article stated that scientists used Newtonian equations for determining the mass a galaxy based on its rotation. The difference between the observed mass and the implied mass is the basis for the idea of Dark Matter. The article stated that the equations used were wrong for a very basic reason. To calculate the mass of a solar system the equations work fine because 99%+ of the mass is located in the star in the center of a solar system. The equations break down when used on galaxies because the mass is more evenly spread out over the area of the galaxy. The paper stated that when another formula was used that took this into account, the difference between the observed and implied mass of a galaxy vanished along with the need for Dark Matter to explain the missing mass. What do you think of this idea, and has it been accepted or rejected by the scientific community?

Jeff Rayfield, Frisco, TX (Sent Wednesday, January 10, 2007 11:14 AM)

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