6 of Stephen Hawking’s best quotes on humanity and intelligence

The highly influential theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking passed away on 14 March 2018 – the same date that Albert Einstein was born back in 1879. Here are six of our favourite quotes said by Hawking at various points in his life:

1. "Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change." – A Briefer History of Time, 2005
2. "The human failing I would most like to correct is aggression. It may have had survival advantage in caveman days, to get more food, territory or partner with whom to reproduce, but now it threatens to destroy us all." – speaking at London’s Science Museum in 2015
3. "I have always tried to overcome the limitations of my condition and lead as full a life as possible. I have travelled the world, from the Antarctic to zero gravity. Perhaps one day I will go into space." – The New York Times, 2011
4. [When asked about his intelligence] "I have no idea. People who boast about their IQ are losers." – The New York Times, 2004
5. "It is a waste of time to be angry about my disability. One has to get on with life and I haven’t done badly. People won’t have time for you if you are always angry or complaining." – The Guardian, 2005
6. "The downside of my celebrity is that I cannot go anywhere in the world without being recognised. It is not enough for me to wear dark sunglasses and a wig. The wheelchair gives me away." – interview on Israeli TV, 2006

Hawking’s accomplishments and contributions to humanity cannot be overstated. Read our retrospective on the genius here.