“Our picture of the Universe has changed dramatically in the last 50 years, and I’m happy if I made a small contribution.” Those are the humble words of the great Stephen Hawking, who passed away yesterday at the age of 76. Tributes to the modern-day icon of physics and scientific thought are pouring in from all corners of the globe today, as we say goodbye to a man who changed the way we see the universe around us, and even how we view time itself.
According to a tribute by Cambridge University, where he worked for decades including right up until his death, Hawking was not considered a star student by teachers as a youth, but his schoolmates knew better and called him “Einstein,” and encouraged him to pursue a career in science. Good thing, as Hawking would go on to suss out the true nature of black holes and even break into the mainstream with his best-selling book, A Brief History of Time.
He has been knighted, honored, medaled and recognized as one of the great modern thinkers, even though he was confined to wheelchair – and had to speak through a computer – due to the effects of motor neurone disease, which he was diagnosed with in his 20s. Doctors told him at the time he had just a few years to live. Beating the odds, he went on to the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge, a title once held by Sir Isaac Newton.
We’ve got a retrospect of Hawking’s very amazing life, his scientific discoveries and links to his many books.
Great sound everywhere you look
Onto some new tech hardware now. There’s been a lot of action in the audiophile headphone space over the past few years, and some of our favorite performers have come from high-end headphone maker Audeze. Now, the company it turning it’s attention to gaming headphones, and if you’re an audiophile, they just might tempt you to pick up a controller. Called the Mobious, the new cans will feature their signature planar-magnetic drivers for that sweet, sweet sound.
But there’s so much more: The Mobius headphones will also include sophisticated 3D sound support, including head tracking for precise sound positioning, Bluetooth connectivity, USB -C and legacy USB connections, a detachable microphone with level control, and 10 hours of playback on the built-in battery. Gonna be spendy, right? Not if you act fast: The Mobius cans are on Indiegogo for $200 for early birds; but will be $400 when they hit retail.
Big news from a long, long time ago
Have you ever heard of this movie called “Star Wars?” Maybe? Well of course you have, and if you’re like most sci-fi fans, there can never really be too much Star Wars (but don’t get carried away, Disney). DT’s main movie man, Rick Marshall, is certainly a fan and he’s built a compendium of pretty much everything that’s on the horizon for the mega-franchise, from the upcoming Solo movie to the new trilogies and all the rumors of what’s coming up soon.
We’ll be updating the article as new news and rumors filter in, so check it out, bookmark the story, and check back to see what’s brewing in the ever-expanding galaxy far, far away. Oh, and Happy Pi Day.
We’ve got more news on our Facebook page and YouTube channel, and be sure to tune in to this week’s DT podcasts: Trends with Benefits (general tech shenanigans) on Thursdays, and Between the Streams (movie and TV topics) every Friday.
