On the Origin of Time

Name: On the Origin of Time
Author: Thomas Hertog

Thomas Hertog

Explore Stephen Hawking’s final theory that the laws of physics evolved with the universe, transforming how we understand its origins.

16 min5 Chapters

Listen to the intro

1:05

Philosophy

Science & Technology

Outline

What's it about?

On the Origin of Time (2023) tells the story of Stephen Hawking’s final theory about the beginning of the universe. Thomas Hertog, his close collaborator for twenty years, explains how they came to believe that the laws of physics themselves may have evolved in the early universe, much as living things evolve. The book offers a fresh way to think about why the universe seems so well suited for life.

Key ideas

On the Origin of Time tells the story of Stephen Hawking's final theory about how the universe began.
Thomas Hertog worked closely with Hawking for twenty years and explains how their shared ideas took shape.
The book argues that the laws of physics may have evolved in the early universe, much as living things evolve.
It offers a fresh way to think about why the universe seems so well suited for life.

About the author

Thomas Hertog is a Belgian cosmologist and professor of theoretical physics at KU Leuven in Belgium. He worked closely with Stephen Hawking for about twenty years on the origin of the universe, and together they developed new ideas in cosmology. On the Origin of Time is his first book for general readers.

Questions people ask

What is On the Origin of Time about?

It tells the story of Stephen Hawking's final theory about the beginning of the universe. The central idea is that the laws of physics themselves may have evolved in the early universe.

Who wrote On the Origin of Time?

Thomas Hertog wrote it. He was a close collaborator of Stephen Hawking for twenty years, which is why he can explain how their final theory came about.

How long is the Durar summary of On the Origin of Time?

The Durar summary takes about 15 minutes to read or listen to, in English or Arabic. It covers the book's main idea about how the laws of physics may have evolved with the universe.