On March 14, the renowned physicist Stephen Hawking passed away at the age of 76 after a long battle with ALS. To honor him, the players of the space MMO EVE Online came up with something special.
Stephen Hawking was not only regarded as one of the brightest minds of our time and one of the most recognized physicists, but he was also something of a pop icon of physics. He did not take himself too seriously and even appeared in the TV series Star Trek: The Next Generation. He did not consider science fiction a meaningless form of entertainment, but rather supported it.
According to him, science fiction inspires science, sparks new ideas, and allows people to experience an exciting and mostly positive future in their minds.
Buoys shine for Stephen Hawking
To honor this great man of science, who passed away on March 14, the players in EVE Online lit many cyndrical buoys that emit a bright light. The buoys usually announce the opening of a jump bridge, which is actually a cause for panic. Because this often triggers large attacks.
However, on March 14, they served the purpose of honoring the legacy of Stephen Hawking. Almost all players participated in the action, and the buoys lit up for several hours.
A beautiful gesture
On a heatmap, it can be seen where most of these lights were concentrated. Up close, the buoys looked like distant galaxies. This farewell would surely have pleased Stephen Hawking.
