Stephen Hawking, PhD Thesis and Wheelchair for Online Auction | Science



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Personal belongings owned by Stephen Hawking, including his medals and one of his wheelchairs, must be sold at an online auction.

The British physicist, known for his research on black holes, died in March at the age of 76.

The auction, hosted by Christie's, is called On the Shoulders of Giants and includes 22 Hawking-owned items, as well as manuscripts by Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin and Albert Einstein.

Personal copies of Hawking's most important items, such as his 1974 "Black Hole Explosions", are also on sale. a copy of his best-seller A brief history of time, signed thumbprint; a bomber jacket; and the script for one of his appearances in The Simpsons.

Proceeds from the sale of the chair will go to the Stephen Hawking Foundation and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Hawking, who used a wheelchair for much of his life and an electronic voice synthesizer, had motor neuron disease.





One of Stephen Hawking's wheelchairs went on sale at an online auction organized by Christie's.



One of Stephen Hawking's wheelchairs went on sale at an online auction organized by Christie's. Photography: Xinhua / Barcroft Images

It is estimated that the jacket will cost £ 100, while one of the five known copies of Hawking's doctoral dissertation is expected to reach £ 150,000.

Lucy Hawking, her daughter, said, "We are very pleased to be able to count on Christie's help to handle the important issue of managing the records of our beloved father and of his unique and valuable collection of personal and professional objects, recounting his life and work. "

She added that she hoped to donate to the rest of her father's scientific archives and property to the nation through the acceptance-in-place system, where articles of national, historical, artistic and scientific interest could be included. be transferred to public property to pay estate tax bills.

Thomas Venning, Head of the Department of Books and Manuscripts at Christie's in London, said: "Christie's had the privilege of working on this selection of objects from the field of art. one of the brightest minds of the last half century. . The selected lots highlight the remarkable scientific achievements of Professor Hawking, as well as his unique personality and inspiring story. "

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