I well remember the buzz that Stephen Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time” created when it appeared in 1988 and the tremors of excitement I felt when I picked up the book for the first time. I had studied philosophy and theology at university in order better to understand ‘life, the universe and everything’ (in Douglas Adams’ memorable phrase). Here were the pages that would explain the secrets of the universe, if I could only follow the reasoning.
This week, on 12 August, President Obama awarded Professor Stephen Hawking the highest US civilian honour, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, at a ceremony in the White House. Professor Hawking was accompanied by his three children, his carers and a few lucky friends.
The key part of the White House citation ran as follows:
“Persistent in his pursuit of knowledge, Stephen Hawking has unlocked new pathways of discovery and inspired people around the world. He has dedicated his life to exploring the fundamental laws that govern the universe, and he has contributed to some of the greatest scientific discoveries of our time. His work has stirred the imagination of experts and lay persons alike. Living with a disability and possessing an uncommon ease of spirit, Stephen Hawking's attitude and achievements inspire hope, intellectual curiosity, and respect for the tremendous power of science.”
This very distinguished honour, given by the American president to a British scientist, serves as a metaphor for transatlantic cooperation on science. To be world class, British science has to collaborate with the best scientists in other countries. The United States is Britain’s most important international scientific partner. And Britain makes a significant contribution to the advancement of science in the US too.
The UK Astronomy Technology Centre leads a consortium developing instruments for the James Webb Space Telescope, Hubble’s extraordinary replacement. The University of Cambridge is part of an international team tracking the origins of swine flu to enable better remedies to be found.
US science is second to none – in funding, quality and sheer volume of activity. About a third of all scientific papers are published in the US. That’s why British scientists value so highly their collaboration with American counterparts.
But British scientists also enjoy an impressive reputation.
• With just 1 percent of the world’s population the UK receives over 12% of all citations to published papers and almost 13% of high-impact citations.
• UK scientists receive approximately 10 percent of internationally recognized science prizes annually.
• According to the Times Higher Education World University rankings, 4 of the world’s top 10 universities in research and teaching quality are in the UK. - The UK is the top European recipient of R&D investment.
So this UK-US scientific relationship brings benefits to both sides of the Atlantic.
Perhaps the two best known British theoretical scientists of all time are Sir Isaac Newton and Professor Stephen Hawking. Both of them redefined the way we understand the fundamental laws of physics. Stephen Hawking is the present day holder of the Lucasian Chair of Mathematics at Cambridge University, a position held by Sir Isaac Newton in his day.
Stephen Hawking, though, seems to have stolen a march on Newton in two respects. First, Newton never received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom, for the very good reason that neither the office nor the medal existed in the 17th century. Second, Newton’s “Philosophiæ Naturalis Principia Mathematica”, published in 1687, though one of the most influential books in the history of science, was not a popular hit with the masses.
Hawking’s “A Brief History of Time”, on the other hand, with its more accessible English language title, stayed on the Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks. Now would be a good time to take it down from the shelves, blow the dust of the jacket and see if my hands still tremble with excitement as I turn the pages.
Posted at 14:53 13 August 2009 by Dominick Chilcott | Comments[0]
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