#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The world-famous cosmologist and author of A Brief History of Time leaves us with his final thoughts on the biggest questions facing humankind.
“Hawking’s parting gift to humanity . . . a book every thinking person worried about humanity’s future should read.”—NPR
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY Forbes • The Guardian • Wired
Stephen Hawking was the most renowned scientist since Einstein, known
both for his groundbreaking work in physics and cosmology and for his
mischievous sense of humor. He educated millions of readers about the
origins of the universe and the nature of black holes, and inspired
millions more by defying a terrifying early prognosis of ALS, which
originally gave him only two years to live. In later life he could
communicate only by using a few facial muscles, but he continued to
advance his field and serve as a revered voice on social and
humanitarian issues.
Hawking not only unraveled some of the
universe’s greatest mysteries but also believed science plays a critical
role in fixing problems here on Earth. Now, as we face immense
challenges on our planet—including climate change, the threat of nuclear
war, and the development of artificial intelligence—he turns his
attention to the most urgent issues facing us.
Will humanity
survive? Should we colonize space? Does God exist? These are just a
few of the questions Hawking addresses in this wide-ranging,
passionately argued final book from one of the greatest minds in
history.
Featuring a foreword by Eddie Redmayne, who won an
Oscar playing Stephen Hawking, an introduction by Nobel Laureate Kip
Thorne, and an afterword from Hawking’s daughter, Lucy, Brief Answers to the Big Questions is a brilliant last message to the world.
Praise for Brief Answers to the Big Questions
“[Hawking is] a symbol of the soaring power of the human mind.”—The Washington Post
“Hawking’s final message to readers . . . is a hopeful one.”—CNN
“Brisk, lucid peeks into the future of science and of humanity.”—The Wall Street Journal
“Hawking pulls no punches on subjects like machines taking over, the
biggest threat to Earth, and the possibilities of intelligent life in
space.”—Quartz
“Effortlessly instructive, absorbing, up to the minute and—where it matters—witty.”—The Guardian
“This beautiful little book is a fitting last twinkle from a new star in the firmament above.”—The Telegraph
