Brief Answers to the Big Questions cover art

Brief Answers to the Big Questions

'A beautiful little book by a brilliant mind' DAILY TELEGRAPH

 Preview
Free with 30-day trial
Prime logo New to Audible Prime Member exclusive:
2 credits with free trial
1 credit a month to use on any title to download and keep
Listen to anything from the Plus Catalogue—thousands of Audible Originals, podcasts and audiobooks
Download titles to your library and listen offline
₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Brief Answers to the Big Questions

Written by: Stephen Hawking
Narrated by: Ben Whishaw, Garrick Hagon, Lucy Hawking
Free with 30-day trial

₹199 per month after 30-day trial. Cancel anytime.

Buy Now for ₹500.00

Buy Now for ₹500.00

About this listen

 Read by Ben Whishaw and Garrick Hagon, with an afterword read by Lucy Hawking.

The world-famous cosmologist and #1 bestselling author of A Brief History of Time leaves us with his final thoughts on the universe's biggest questions in this brilliant posthumous work.

How did the universe begin? Will humanity survive on Earth? Is there intelligent life beyond our solar system? Could artificial intelligence ever outsmart us?

Throughout his extraordinary career, Stephen Hawking expanded our understanding of the universe and unravelled some of its greatest mysteries. But even as his theoretical work on black holes, imaginary time and multiple histories took his mind to the furthest reaches of space, Hawking always believed that science could also be used to fix the problems on our planet.

And now, as we face potentially catastrophic changes here on Earth - from climate change to dwindling natural resources to the threat of artificial super-intelligence - Stephen Hawking turns his attention to the most urgent issues for humankind.

Wide-ranging, intellectually stimulating, passionately argued, and infused with his characteristic humour, BRIEF ANSWERS TO THE BIG QUESTIONS, the final book from one of the greatest minds in history, is a personal view on the challenges we face as a human race, and where we, as a planet, are heading next.

A percentage of all royalties will go to charity.

(P)2018 Hodder & Stoughton Limited©2018 Stephen Hawking Astronomy & Space Science Professionals & Academics Science Science & Technology Leaders

Critic Reviews

A beautiful book from a brilliant mind
Almost everything in Brief Answers is effortlessly instructive, absorbing, up to the minute and - where it matters - witty
The best, most mind-bending sort of physics: black holes, time travel, the origins of the universe
It is that ultra-distinctive voice (modest, profound, sometimes very funny) that knits this book together
All stars
Most relevant
fiveteen words minimum eeeeeh. journey in the space and beyond it was like dreaming with an open she is not able to join the group of the day of the day

a journey

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
Brief Answers to the Big Questions is a compact yet deeply reflective book that captures Stephen Hawking’s scientific view of humanity, existence, and the future. What distinguishes this book from others like Sapiens is its objectivity. Hawking approaches the biggest questions of mankind using logic and science rather than narrative or fantasy, consistently grounding speculation in evidence.
One of the book’s most humbling ideas is that human existence may simply be the result of uncertainty — a statistical fluctuation in how atoms behaved in the past. This challenges the way we usually think about purpose and certainty. Hawking’s discussion of God reflects this shift clearly: as human understanding grows, the boundary of faith shrinks. His portrayal of God as an impersonal guiding energy rather than a personal being aligns strongly with my own view — may the Force be with us.
When discussing the origin of the universe, Hawking explains how equal and opposite entities must exist by nature. Using simple analogies, such as a sand dump and a sand pit to explain matter and antimatter, he connects abstract physics to intuition. He also explores how the Big Bang and black holes may be linked.
Hawking contrasts genetic information with human knowledge transfer, noting that a single human genome contains information equivalent to about fifty Harry Potter books. Unlike genes, books and language allow humans to transmit information exponentially, though this growth may eventually reach a cognitive limit.
On the future, Hawking is realistic rather than alarmist. Earth will not be permanent, and mass extinction is inevitable. Artificial intelligence is treated with balance: a powerful tool that must be mastered carefully, like fire alongside a fire extinguisher. Despite efficiency gains, technology has made us busier, not freer. Hawking concludes with a clear call for clean, high-density energy as essential for shaping our future.

Humanity as a statistical fluctuation

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.