The State of the Universe celebrations
A 70th birthday symposium celebrating Professor Stephen Hawking's contributions to fundamental physics and cosmology entitled 'The State of the Universe' was held on Sunday 8 January 2012 at Lady Mitchell Hall, Sidgwick Avenue, Cambridge. The symposium featured an afternoon of popular lectures from four distinguished scientists: Lord Rees, Professor Saul Perlmutter, Professor Kip Thorne and Professor Stephen Hawking. Professor Hawking was not able to attend in person, due to ill health, but his speech was read for him in absentia. This symposium received worldwide print and media coverage, as well as an estimated 11,000 viewers live via an Intel Studio's streamed webcast.
Preceding the symposium, from 4 to 7 January 2012, there was a technical scientific workshop, also entitled 'The State of the Universe'. It featured over 175 leading physicists, who reviewed the current status of the fields of black holes, cosmology and fundamental physics.
Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, introduces Lord Rees during 'The State of the Universe': Stephen Hawking's 70th Birthday Public Symposium.
