Thomas Hertog exposed the last theory thought by Stephen Hawking in his book: “On the Origin of Time” (On the origins of time).
When Thomas Hertog was first summoned to Stephen Hawking ‘s office 25 years ago, there was an immediate connection between the then young Belgian researcher and the physics genius.
“There was something that clicked between us,” Hertog said.
This connection was maintained, despite the progress of the degenerative disease that Hawking suffered and that hampered his ability to communicate. But, despite the barriers, the two scientists were able to develop a new theory that seeks to change the way science conceives of the universe.
The theory, which could be Stephen Hawking ‘s last contribution to science before his death in 2018, was first fully exposed in the book “On the Origin of Time” published by Hertog. in 2023.
In an interview, the Belgian cosmologist talked about their joint work that spanned 20 years.
He also recounted how they communicated with facial expressions and how Hawking became convinced in his last stage that his well-known popularization work “A Brief History of Time” was written from the wrong perspective.