Remembering Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was a great scientist who helped in our understanding of the universe – even if most people couldn’t understand his work. He was also a very successful author.

His work included Black Holes which may be symbolic as he did not wallow in a personal black hole when he became ill, but rather fought it and showed that disabilities do not stop you.

His humour and wit was shown through his cameos on The Big Bang Theory. A piece of trivia: he was the only person to appear on Star Trek as themselves.

A great role model for all.

Dennis Fitzgerald
Melbourne

I was not lucky enough to meet Professor Hawking. I’m not sure how this man changed my life but I know he did, and I’m just a regular guy. I was in tears this morning when I heard the news; I mean this guy will be irreplaceable. I hope his family will accept my condolences as they deal with this terrible loss. This is one of those deaths that’s just not right.

Steve Mumby
Bournemouth

Physicist Stephen Hawking has made enormous contributions to physics, mathematics, our understanding of the cosmos and humanity at large. However, his biggest asset was the fact that he not only overcame his disability, but proved unequivocally that physical and mental impairments should never become a hurdle in the way to leadership and success.

15 per cent of the population live with such disabilities, and it is pitiful that despite the clamour for good governance, transparency, accountability and efficiency, the quest for an inclusive and cohesive society and equal opportunities, many disabled people remain in the shadow or on the sidelines.

It is time to surmount our prejudices and bigotries and allow our members of society to fulfil their potential aspirations.

Dr Munjed Farid al Qutob
London NW2

Unlike some of his fellow scientists, Stephen Hawking went fairly gently on believers. Probably best styled as an agnostic rather than a hardline atheist, Hawking was memorable for his mention of “the mind of God” in A Brief History of Time.

This was a phrase which spawned a considerable amount of helpful thinking on the relationship between religion and science.

As he grew older, Hawking clearly became increasingly doubtful in the traditional view of God. However, his tone was always courteous.

The Rev Andrew McLuskey
Staines

As France, Germany and the USA support Downing Street in its stance vis-à-vis Russia and the attempted murder of former double agent Sergei Skripol and his daughter in Salisbury, Alex Salmond shows no sign of standing down from his show on Russia Today.

Why? Does his ego or financial greed prevent him? Or will he stop at nothing to adopt a position contrary to the UK?

Martin Redfern
Edinburgh

Will Dry says of his voting to leave the EU: “How an earth could the people have known what it meant 18 months ago?”

As a British-born resident of Wales with Irish citizenship, I had a very good idea what Brexit would mean for the Irish border and for the regional grants that we in Wales receive from the EU. I have no qualifications in politics or economics, but one did not need them to work out what many of the implications of Brexit could be when the referendum was held.

All one needed to do was to read a decent newspaper, like this one. It is a pity he and many of his fellow Brexiteers did not do the same before they landed us in this mess.

Terence Carr
Prestatyn

If the 1p coin is abolished, and given the pricing policies of most shops, can we look forward to the introduction of a 99p coin?

Dr John Doherty
Stratford-Upon-Avon