Stephen Hawking appeared on Star Trek as himself. Think about that. One of the most influential minds in physics didn’t have to assume the role of a character.
Stephen Hawking passed away Wednesday at the age of 76. He slipped away peacefully at his home in Cambridge after a long and well-documented battle with ALS or Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Despite deteriorating health and an inability to use his limbs, Hawking remained a dominant force in the world of physics.
In fact, Hawking’s work places him in the physics Pantheon of greats with Sir Isaasc Newton and Albert Einstein and, as a result, he earned a role by their sides in TNG episode “Descent.”
Welcome to the Holodeck
Hawking takes his place on the Holodeck along with Data, a stroppy Newton and Einstein. Data finds the interaction of the three great minds a stimulating event.
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HAWKING GETS A SCENE
TNG’s producers never planned on penning Hawking into the episode, but they took advantage of a divine opportunity. Hawking arrived on the set as a result of being in Los Angeles to promote his book “A Brief History of Time.” Executive producer Rick Berman immediately grasped the gravity of the situation and hastily penned a scene to incorporate Hawking.
For a full understanding of Stephen Hawking’s career, life and contribution to world of science, check his Wikipedia page.