A Unified Theory of Everything

The passing of Stephen Hawking provides a good opportunity to reflect on the merits and value of the scientific method. In an age when support and investment for science and research is constantly succeptible to governments and organizations, which prioritize nationalism and thrive under divisiveness, Hawking’s icon is a reminder that scientists are trying to prove a grand unified theory — unified, being the operative word. Our differences should be acknowledged and celebrated, because they are absolutely what make us special. But never forget that we are all made of star stuff — bound together by unseen forces that stretch back to the beginning and cross the dimensions of space and time. A grand unified theory of everything is exactly that — grand, unifying, and everything.