--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was young, Stephen Hawking wasn't…" description: "\"When I was young, Stephen Hawking wasn't the world's most famous physicist. The fame didn't arrive until the publication of \"A Brief History of Time,\" ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/stephen-hawking-389_bunch_when-i-was-young-stephen-hawking-wasn-t_317221.jpg" --- # When I was young, Stephen Hawking wasn't the world's most… ![“When I was young, Stephen Hawking wasn't the world's most famous physicist. The fame didn't arrive until the publication of "A Brief History of Time," by which time I was in my late teens. When I was a child, he was well known among physicists, but they are a fairly select, serious bunch, not much…” quote by Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/stephen-hawking-389_bunch_when-i-was-young-stephen-hawking-wasn-t_317221.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/stephen-hawking-389_bunch_when-i-was-young-stephen-hawking-wasn-t_317221.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b3b/stephen-hawking-389_bunch_when-i-was-young-stephen-hawking-wasn-t_317221.jpg) > “When I was young, Stephen Hawking wasn't the world's most famous physicist. The fame didn't arrive until the publication of "A Brief History of Time," by which time I was in my late teens. When I was a child, he was well known among physicists, but they are a fairly select, serious bunch, not much given to celebrity idolizing.” [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Early fame in science often follows a breakthrough work that reaches a broad audience, not just peer recognition. **In simple terms:** Fame comes after a major public work. Key Takeaway Seek impact beyond your field. Themes recognition science public outreach Mood reflective inspirational Type educational motivational When to use this quote - publishing a popular science book - giving public lectures - media appearances - educational outreach Key Concepts breakthrough publication celebrity academic community Questions to Reflect On - How can experts make complex ideas accessible? - What role does media play in shaping scientific fame? A Different Perspective Even after a breakthrough, sustained relevance requires ongoing engagement. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bunch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bunch/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fame/) [Famous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous/) [Famous Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/famous-physicist-2996928/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Hawking Wasn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hawking-wasn-2996929/) [History](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/history/) [Known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known/) [Known Physicists](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/known-physicists-848388/) [Late](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/late/) [Physicist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicist/) [Physicist Fame](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physicist-fame-2996927/) [Publication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/publication/) [Select](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/select/) [Serious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/serious/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stephen-hawking/) [Teens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teens/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Well known](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/well-known/) [Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wells/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/young/) ## Related quotes > [With the exception of gravitation and radioactivity, all of the phenomena known to physicists and chemists in 1911 have their ultimate explanation in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-p-feynman/with-the-exception-of-gravitation-and-radioactivity-all-of-the/) [Richard P. Feynman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-p-feynman/) > [By having simplified what is known, physicists have been led into realms which as yet are anything but simple. That at some time, they,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-teller/by-having-simplified-what-is-known-physicists-have-been-led-into/) [Edward Teller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-teller/) > [ One big contribution my father \[Stephen Hawking\] has made is to show that having a disability does not bar you from leading a full… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/one-big-contribution-my-father-stephen-hawking-has-made-is-to-show/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [ Working with my father \[Stephen Hawking \] is a great thrill - he has the amazing ability to hold enormous amounts of information in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/working-with-my-father-stephen-hawking-is-a-great-thrill-he-has-the/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [ I think my dad \[ Stephen Hawking\] would have been pleased if I had turned out a scientist because he truly believes that is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-think-my-dad-stephen-hawking-would-have-been-pleased-if-i-had/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I flipped back through the pad of paper while I thought about what Stephen Hawking would do next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/i-flipped-back-through-the-pad-of-paper-while-i-thought-about-what/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Beating Newt Gingrich in a popularity contest is like beating Stephen Hawking in 'Dancing with the Stars.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/beating-newt-gingrich-in-a-popularity-contest-is-like-beating-stephen/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I would love to photograph Stephen Hawking. I am just fascinated by science, I really am.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helena-christensen/i-would-love-to-photograph-stephen-hawking-i-am-just-fascinated-by/) [Helena Christensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helena-christensen/) > [I never thought I would become amazing. I never thought I would be as great as my father. I would like to continue writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-hawking/i-never-thought-i-would-become-amazing-i-never-thought-i-would-be-as/) [Lucy Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-hawking/) > [Ultimately, my Ph.D. is in mathematical physics, focusing on quantum field theory and curved space-time, and I worked with Stephen Hawking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-myhrvold/ultimately-my-ph-d-is-in-mathematical-physics-focusing-on-quantum/) [Nathan Myhrvold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-myhrvold/) > [Landing the role of Stephen Hawking was the most positively surprising thing that has happened to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benedict-cumberbatch/landing-the-role-of-stephen-hawking-was-the-most-positively/) [Benedict Cumberbatch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benedict-cumberbatch/) > [ Stephen Hawking won \[Babson Institute competition \] one year with his black hole stuff. It's keeping an open mind on whether gravity exists or… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-laffoley/stephen-hawking-won-babson-institute-competition-one-year-with-his/) [Paul Laffoley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-laffoley/) > [“Anyway. I’m not allowed to watch TV, although I am allowed to rent documentaries that are approved for me, and I can read anything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/anyway-i-m-not-allowed-to-watch-tv-although-i-am-allowed-to-rent/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [“The common people and the great men and women are all defined by how they deal with life’s unfairness: Helen Keller, Nelson Mandela, Stephen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-h-mcraven/the-common-people-and-the-great-men-and-women-are-all-defined-by-how/) [William H. 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For me this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/we-have-finally-found-something-that-doesn-t-have-a-cause-because/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [ \[On President Bush's plan to get to Mars in 10 years\] Stupid. Robots would do a better job and be much cheaper because you… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/on-president-bush-s-plan-to-get-to-mars-in-10-years-stupid-robots/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [I believe the simplest explanation is, there is no God. No one created the universe and no one directs our fate. This leads me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-the-simplest-explanation-is-there-is-no-god-no-one-created/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The Paralympic Games is about transforming our perception of the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-paralympic-games-is-about-transforming-our-perception-of-the-world/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [The increase of disorder or entropy is what distinguishes the past from the future, giving a direction to time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/the-increase-of-disorder-or-entropy-is-what-distinguishes-the-past/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Most sets of values would give rise to universes that, although they might be very beautiful, would contain no one able to wonder at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/most-sets-of-values-would-give-rise-to-universes-that-although-they/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [There is a fundamental difference between religion, which is based on authority, and science, which is based on observation and reason. Science will win…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/there-is-a-fundamental-difference-between-religion-which-is-based-on/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“In the eighteenth century, philosophers considered the whole of human knowledge, including science, to be their field and discussed questions such as: Did the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/in-the-eighteenth-century-philosophers-considered-the-whole-of-human/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [A model is a good model if first it interprets a wide range of observations in terms of a simple and elegant model, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/a-model-is-a-good-model-if-first-it-interprets-a-wide-range-of/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [“Empedocles noticed that if you cover the neck before you immerse it, a clepsydra does not fill. 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