Is It Humans' Ability to Understand the Universe That Makes Them "Something Very Special"?

The late Stephen Hawking (1942-2018), the British cosmographer and theoretical physicist, was arguably the most famous scientist in the world in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Despite suffering from motor neurone disease (ALS) for most of his adult life, he made major contributions to the understanding of black holes, general relativity, and quantum physics. He was also a popular author…