Skip to main content

CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY'S WEBSITE CRASHED AS PEOPLE TRY TO SEE STEPHEN HAWKING'S THESIS


Hawking on the creation of the universe (2010)
For the first time ever, influential British scientist Stephen Hawking's doctoral thesis is available to the public -- if you can get the web page to load.
In honor of Open Access Week, the University of Cambridge on Monday put the 1966 PhD thesis, "Properties of Expanding Universes," on its open access repository. Shortly after it went live, requests to view the research crashed the website.
As of Monday afternoon, the main research page was reachable after several minutes, but nothing on the page was.
    "We have had a huge response to Professor Hawking's decision to make his PhD thesis publicly available to download, with almost 60,000 downloads in less than 24 hours," spokesman Stuart Roberts said. "As a result, visitors to our open access site may find that it is performing slower than usual and may at times be temporarily unavailable."
    The thesis considers the implications and consequences of the expansion of the universe. In an earlier statement, the school said it is already the most requested item in its catalog by one of the world's most recognizable scientists.
    "It's wonderful to hear how many people have already shown an interest in downloading my thesis -- hopefully they won't be disappointed now that they finally have access to it!" Hawking said in a statement before the website crashed.
    "By making my PhD thesis Open Access, I hope to inspire people around the world to look up at the stars and not down at their feet; to wonder about our place in the universe and to try and make sense of the cosmos. Anyone, anywhere in the world should have free, unhindered access to not just my research, but to the research of every great and inquiring mind across the spectrum of human understanding," he said.
    "Each generation stands on the shoulders of those who have gone before them, just as I did as a young PhD student in Cambridge, inspired by the work of Isaac Newton, James Clerk Maxwell and Albert Einstein."
    Hawking's life, including his battle with Lou Gehrig's Disease, was made into a 2014 biopic, "The Theory of Everything," starring Eddie Redmayne.
    Labels:

    Comments

    Post a Comment

    Popular posts from this blog

    NIGERIA: RTEAN INAUGURATES TASKFORCE AGAINST ERRING MOTORISTS

    The Lagos State Branch of the Road Transport Employers Association of Nigeria (RTEAN) has set up a taskforce to arrest members of the association driving against traffic in the state. The Chairman of the association, Alhaji Musa Muhammed, made the disclosure in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Monday. He said the union had set up the taskforce to support the one put in place by the Lagos State Government to prevent commercial motorcyclists from operating on highways in the state. “We are law-abiding citizens, we obey traffic rules and regulations and we want total compliance with Lagos State traffic laws. “That is why we set up the taskforce to monitor and arrest any of our members or uniformed people, plying the expressway or disobeying traffic laws.” According to him, the association is ready to support the State Government on any policy that will step up and advance the transport sector. Also speaking to NAN, Mr Sulaiman Raji, Chair...
    Post a Comment
    Read more

    AUDITION DATE FOR MISS NIGERIA OUT: SUBMIT APPLICATION AT ADDRESSES BELOW

    Miss Nigeria Organization is calling for entries into the 41st and Diamond Jubilee edition of the most prestigious and oldest pageant in Nigeria. Built as a platform to empower women beyond beauty, select young women have a chance to represent the 37 states (including the FCT) in Nigeria. Through very various strategic activities, they will be empowered to showcase their individual talents while competing for the crown. With a wholesome combination of vintage glamour and modern elegance, the Miss Nigeria pageant promotes positive attributes of Nigerian women and, importantly, does not include a swimsuit competition or any other competitions that do not exude modesty. In addition to winning the prestigious crown, the winner of the Miss Nigeria competition will be rewarded with a luxury car, N3 million, one year free accommodation in Lagos, and other amazing prizes and benefits. Meanwhile, Times Multimedia, organisers of the pageant has shared their plans for this year’s pag...
    Post a Comment
    Read more

    MNANGAGWA RETURN TO CHEERS

    Zimbabwe's incoming leader Mnangagwa returns home to cheers The Associated Press Zimbabwe's incoming leader Emmerson Mnangagwa made a triumphant return Wednesday, telling cheering supporters that the country is witnessing "a new and unfolding democracy." "I appeal to all genuine people of Zimbabwe to come together," Mnangagwa said. "We are all Zimbabweans ... we need peace in our country and jobs, jobs, jobs." That was received enthusiastically by the crowd at the headquarters of the ruling ZANU-PF party, as Zimbabwe's economic crisis helped bring the downfall of Robert Mugabe, who resigned Tuesday after 37 years in power. Mnangagwa said he had been in constant contact with military leaders during the tumultuous two weeks between his firing by Mugabe and his return to lead Zimbabwe. He will be sworn in Friday to serve Mugabe's remaining term until elections next year. He praised the military and commander Gen. C...
    Post a Comment
    Read more