Understanding Stephen Hawking’s Final Theory: Explained for a 10-Year-Old and Applied to a Fantasy Book Synopsis

Physicist Stephen Hawking’s final theory proposes the universe as a holographic projection, where time is encoded as a dimension. Belgian cosmologist Thomas Hertog, a close friend, and collaborator of Hawking, recently discussed their work commemorating the fifth anniversary of Hawking’s death on March 14, 2018. I asked ChatGPT to explain this at a 10-year-old level so I could understand it better. Here is the answer I received:

Hello! I’ll do my best to explain Stephen Hawking’s final theory in a way that a 10-year-old could understand.

Hawking’s theory proposes that the universe, the place where we all live, might actually be like a hologram. A hologram is a special kind of picture that looks three-dimensional even though it’s actually flat. So imagine that the universe is like a giant hologram.

In this hologram universe, time is not just something that goes forward like an arrow, as we usually think of it. Instead, time is one of the many dimensions that make up the universe, just like length, width, and height. So, it’s like the universe has four dimensions, including time, instead of just three.

Now, this might sound a little strange, but it’s actually not too different from the way we experience things in our everyday lives. Think about how you can see a whole movie on a flat screen, even though the movie is actually made up of many different pictures that change over time. Similarly, in the hologram universe, everything that happens is like a series of pictures that change over time, but it’s all encoded in the dimensions of the universe, including time.

Thomas Hertog, who worked closely with Stephen Hawking, recently talked about their theory on the fifth anniversary of Hawking’s death. Even though Hawking is no longer with us, his ideas and theories continue to inspire and challenge us to think about the universe in new and exciting ways.

So where does one go from here?

I’m still looking to figure out how to use this information. Here are some questions in my head. Since I’ve been writing fantasy books how might this information be used? Well, let’s ask ChatGPT again for an answer. Here is what I got:

Certainly! Here’s a possible synopsis for a fantasy book based on Stephen Hawking’s holographic universe theory:

In a world where time is not just a linear progression but a dimension that can be manipulated, the ruling class has discovered a way to control time itself. Using powerful technology, they have created a massive holographic projection of the universe, in which they can change the past, present, and future to suit their own desires.

Amidst this oppression, a young girl named Quill rebels against the system. Her special ability to manipulate the fourth dimension of time gives her an advantage over her adversaries but also puts her in great danger. She joins forces with other young rebels, each with their own unique abilities, to overthrow the ruling class and restore balance to the universe.

As they journey deeper into the holographic universe, they encounter new challenges and threats, including beings that exist beyond the traditional dimensions of space and time. With the help of a wise mentor who understands the true nature of the universe, they must navigate the holographic projection and overcome the ruling class’s manipulations to restore order and freedom to their world.

Through their adventures, they understand the holographic nature of their universe and the power of time as a dimension. With this knowledge, they can challenge the ruling class’s grip on reality and create a new future for their world.

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To me this creation of a fantasy story idea does help develop a deeper understanding of Hawking’s holographic universe theory. Stay tuned for more exploration here.