In the wake of Stephen Hawking’s passing, eulogies are being shared around the globe detailing all the amazing things we never knew about him. One particularly incredible account was back in 2009, when he threw a champagne party for time travelers in an attempt to prove the phenomenon is possible.
In his documentary, Into the Universe, he hosts a party, filled with Krug and hors d’oeuvres, however didn’t send the invitations out until after the party had happened. He hypothesized, that if people did show up, it would prove time travel exists.
In a video of the event, he can be seen sat watching the door as the clock counts down. However, no one arrives, to which he quips, ‘what a shame, I was hoping a future Miss Universe was going to step through the door’, before shooting a cheeky glance to the camera.
Watch the entire video below:
Stephen later gave an interview, published by Ars Technica, on the failed experiment, stating:
‘I have experimental evidence that time travel is not possible,
‘I gave a party for time-travelers, but I didn't send out the invitations until after the party. I sat there a long time, but no one came.’
Hawkins also sat that while Einstein’s theories imply the possibility of time travel, ‘it is likely that warping would trigger a bolt of radiation that would destroy the spaceship and maybe the space-time itself’.
Honestly, we’re more impressed by his party planning skills than all of the science. The video shows Stephen surrounded by bottles of Champagne, balloons and small plates of food. We only wish it wasn’t just time travelers that were invited
Click through to see all of the women in STEM you should know about...
Women In STEM - Commercial gallery for Three
1 of 8Anisah Osman Britton: Founder of Coding School For Women 23 Code Street
Anisah Osman Britton is one young entrepreneur on a mission to address the tech industry's issue with gender diversity. She's founded 23 Code Street - a coding school specifically for women - where every paying UK student funds a coding lesson for a disadvantaged student in India.The school's mission is to 'get as many women as possible excited about code, minimise the gender gap and, in turn, diversify the scene.' To achieve this, Anisah runs a number of part-time courses, many lasting 12 weeks, which promise to give students the skills that they need to become developers. So definitely check out her website if you're keen to learn some new tech skills.
2 of 8Florence Adepoju: Founder of MDMflow
Florence Adepoju drew on her science background (she studied cosmetic science at London College of Fashion), to build a beauty empire. Her makeup line, MDMflow, initially started out as a kind of science experiment in her back garden, and now, it's stocked in Boots and Harvey Nichols.From whipping up handmade lipsticks using the latest colour technology, to creating what beauty expert's have described as the greatest mascara of the decade, Florence has achieved a lot in her short time in the science and beauty industries.
3 of 8Kathryn Parsons: Co-founder of Decoded
If you're looking for someone in the tech industry to look up to, Kathryn Parsons is your woman. She co-founded Decoded, a tech startup which aims to increase digital literacy, especially amongst women. Decoded run a range of classes, covering everything from artificial intelligence to blockchain, and over time, Kathryn has become a poster woman for the technology industry.
4 of 8Dr Ozak Esu: Electrical Engineer
An Electrical Engineer and this year's winner of the Institution of Engineering and Technology's Young Woman Engineer of the Year award, Dr Ozak Esu is an expert in the field. She told *The Debrief *'that STEM is a broad industry with rewarding career opportunities for every young woman interested in solving real world problems nationally and internationally.' Noted!
5 of 8Gemma Milne: Science Writer and Podcaster
Gemma Milne is a bit of a wiz when it comes to science content. She's written a tonne of articles on the topic for leading titles, like The Guardian and the BBC, and she's also the Co-Founder of Science: Disrupt - an organisation connecting the innovators, iconoclasts & entrepreneurs intent on creating change in science.
6 of 8Roma Agrawal: The Woman Behind The Shard
Haven't heard of Roma Agrawal? Well, she's only the women behind the making of the Shard. After gaining a degree in physics, spent six years working on designing the tallest building in Western Europe, working on everything from the foundations to the Spire. She's also been an affiliate of the Institution of Engineering and Technology's Young Woman Engineer of the Year programme, too. Basically, she's a structural engineering wizard.
7 of 8Rachel Skinner: VP at The Institution of Civil Engineers
As the Head of Development for WSP - one of the world's leading engineering professional services firms - Rachel Skinner heads up a team of 950 people. And that's no small feat. She's a trail-blazer in the engineering field, and is currently Vice President at the Institution of Civil Engineers. Talk about career goals.
8 of 8Ellie Wilson: Instrumentation and Control Technician
Having completed a four year apprenticeship, Ellie is now responsible for installing and maintaining all instrumentation and control systems on site, and she's the only female technician in the company. She's really aware that oil and gas careers are male-dominated, and so doesn't want women be deterred by this. Her words of widsom? Simply: 'young women need to be made aware of the many career avenues that can be pursued through STEM. Being involved in stem industry means you will be at the forefront of designing and shaping the future, which is the most exciting place to be.'
This article originally appeared on The Debrief.