What Stephen Hawking Taught Me With his Brief History of Time

Every time you search for new inspiration—and let’s be honest, we all do from time to time—it can feel like embarking on a thrilling journey. One particularly fascinating route to take is diving into the mind of Stephen Hawking. At first, confronting the vast intellect of one of the greatest scientific minds of the postmodern era can feel overwhelming. But the sheer brilliance of his insights has a way of igniting a deep and lasting excitement about the Universe that lingers long after you've finished reading or listening to his work.

This brief blog article is inspired by the audiobook version of A Brief History of Time, written by the legendary Stephen Hawking. To say it’s inspiring would be an understatement—it’s a masterclass in curiosity and wonder!

Hawking has a unique rhetorical style that is both engaging and, at times, unexpectedly humorous. His ability to weave in amusing anecdotes while tackling the most complex scientific theories makes his work incredibly captivating. I consider his book, particularly in audiobook form, an absolute must-listen. The way he distills intricate astrophysical concepts into digestible explanations is nothing short of remarkable, making it accessible even to those with no background in the field.

During my gymnasium studies, I was deeply fascinated by physics, but my Achilles’ heel was the mathematics involved. That barrier ultimately prevented me from pursuing a formal career in astrophysics. Hawking himself, in several parts of his book, admits, “I don’t like the math behind this theory,” which made it clear to me that an affinity for numbers is essential to advance in this field. Over time, I came to understand that not every passion needs to be turned into a profession. Sometimes, the pure joy of learning and exploring is enough.

There is an inherent luxury in being able to listen to someone who effortlessly transitions from Aristotle to black holes, all while casually making profound points about the creation of the Universe. The depth of knowledge hidden behind his seemingly nonchalant storytelling is truly astonishing. His ability to connect history, philosophy, and cutting-edge science into a seamless narrative is what makes his work so unforgettable.

And now, back to reality—welcome to Galactic Fossils! In this article, I’ve consciously chosen not to make any direct connections to my artistic work, even though everything I create is inspired by the Universe. How could I possibly pick just one example? If Hawking can condense the entire history of time into a single book, surely I can fit my impressions of it into a handful of paragraphs!

Peter Von Hauerland