As Sheldon says, his thesis came to him one morning in the shower. Perhaps the most memorable moment is Hawking pointing out an arithmetic error in Big Bang genius Sheldon Cooper’s paper. (Like Einstein and Newton, he is rendered as a hologram.) Hawking, a science-fiction fan and a Trekkie in real life, would later warn us that artificial intelligence might someday kill us all-so it’s safe to guess that was one interesting poker game.Īnd finally, there was The Big Bang Theory, on which Hawking appeared seven times. In 1993’s Season 6 finale, “Descent,” the scientist sits down with Data, Einstein, and Newton for a quick round of cards-which Hawking wins by bluffing Einstein. To this day, Hawking is the only person to play himself in the Star Trek universe. His appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation was his first, and it remains historic. But he also leaves behind a delightful collection of nerdy TV appearances-a series of cameos and guest spots that, above all, captured the brilliant scientist’s sharp sense of humor. Remember that time Stephen Hawking, Albert Einstein, and Isaac Newton sat down together for a poker game with an android on Star Trek? The renowned physicist died Wednesday, leaving behind a staggering legacy-including his 1988 book, A Brief History of Time, which made cosmology accessible to the masses.
