Stephen Hawking

About Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking (1942-2018) was one of the most celebrated theoretical physicists and cosmologists of the modern era. His historical importance, reflected in an HPI Rank of #181, stems primarily from his groundbreaking work on black holes and his popularization of complex physics, including his seminal book A Brief History of Time. Despite his profound impact on our understanding of the universe, Hawking's ongoing digital presence requires scrutiny.

In 2025, Hawking garnered 3.8 million Wikipedia views, an attention level that suggests significant, though perhaps waning, public interest relative to his historical standing. This figure puts his internet attention at a +7x overattention factor compared to his relative historical importance, meaning he is viewed considerably more than the average figure ranked #181. However, a comparison with contemporary figures reveals a dynamic landscape: while his 3.8M views are respectable, they are substantially lower than President Joe Biden's 10.6M views in the same year, despite Biden ranking #329 in historical importance.

The data also indicates a slight contraction in immediate interest, with his views showing a year-over-year decline of -26.3% and a Q1 versus Q3 momentum drop of -4%, suggesting that while his historical legacy is secure, the immediate curiosity surrounding his work is slightly receding from its peak.