Steven Hawking Leaves Wheelchair

Steven Hawking, the famed physicist, left the confines of his wheelchair for the first time in nearly 4 decades when he boarded the Zero-G Airliner. Zero-G is a specially outfitted Boeing 727 that, through dramatic rises and falls, provides passengers with up to 25 seconds of weightlessness.

The 65 year old genius, who is paralized by Lou Gherigs disease has always dreamed of going into space. Thursday April 26, 2006 he got as close as he will ever come on board the weightless adventure. Dressed in a blue flight suit, and surounded by caretakers, Hawking boarded the flight, which took off for the ocean. While in his weightlessness, his caretakers spun him twice, pirhouetting him like a gymnast. Another floated an apple alongside him, making an Isaac Newton inferance. Ironic, as Hawking now holds his esteemed chair at Cambridge. When the plane reached the bottom of its arc, Hawkings assistants gently laid his body on a mat while gravity gradually returned.

"It was amazing... I could have gone on and on. Space, here I come." said Hawking upon his return to Earth. His famous voice, is created using a synthesyzer that he controls using eye movement. Hawking went on to say, "Life on Earth is at the ever-in-creasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus, or other dangers. I think the human race has no future if it doesnt go into space. I therefor want to encourage public interest in space."

Hawking was monitored by three physcians, who were also on board at the time of his flight. A pulse oximiter was attached to his ear lobe, along with EKG leads on his chest to monitor his heart. The main concern was increased gravity on the flights climbs making it difficult for Hawking to breathe. Hawking reported no trouble. Away from his wheelchair, Hawking, who can not speak, had to resort to raising his eyebrows and moving his mouth to the side for yes or no. After the first weightless trip, crew members asked him if he wanted to go again. He quickly raised his eye brows as far as they would go, in an emphatic yes.

Steven Hawking is best known for his theories on black holes, and is the author of "A brief history of time". Hawking was elected as one of the youngest Fellows of the Royal Society in 1974, was created a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1982, and became a Companion of Honour in 1989. Prof. Hawking is a member of the Board of Sponsors of The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.