Stephen Hawking’s name is synonymous with groundbreaking theories in cosmology, and his final insights, developed with his close collaborator Thomas Hertog, introduce a fresh take on the Big Bang. Their two-decade collaboration started in 1998 when Hertog became Hawking’s PhD student, tasked with working on a “quantum theory of the Big Bang.” This partnership culminated in a theory that challenges traditional views by proposing that the universe is essentially a holographic projection where time is encoded.

Hawking and Hertog’s work took physics beyond conventional comfort zones, exploring the enigmatic notion of a universe seemingly fine-tuned for life. Their joint research was not just about scientific inquiry but was fueled by Hawking’s determined pursuit to demystify cosmic creation. The concept of a “holographic universe” represents a bold departure from traditional cosmological models.

The idea that the universe operates like a hologram stems from the way a two-dimensional hologram can produce a three-dimensional image. In Hawking’s vision, it isn’t space but time that is encoded in this manner. The depiction of this theory is often visualized as a disk where the outer ring symbolizes a timeless hologram composed of countless entangled qubits. The universe then emerges from this starting point, expanding outward.

What this means for our understanding is profound. The “origin of time” sits at the center of this holographic disk, and as one moves outward—akin to zooming out—the universe evolves. The idea reshapes how we interpret the flow of time, implying that traveling back to the Big Bang leads not to a point of infinite density but to the very fabric from which time itself unfurls.

Hawking and Hertog’s theory posits that the past we conceive of cannot extend beyond the Big Bang. In simpler terms, it suggests there is no “before” the Big Bang because that concept does not exist in the structure that emerges holographically. This shifts the question from the “why” of existence to the mechanics of how the laws of physics began. According to Hawking’s final theory, as we approach the Big Bang in our models, the laws of physics themselves begin to fade, highlighting their emergence rather than preexistence.

This theory doesn’t just put forth a timeline of cosmic events but implies that the origins of physical laws lie within this holographic view. The laws themselves are not eternal or pre-established; they emerge with the universe. The early attempts of Hawking to find a purely causal explanation of the Big Bang gradually evolved. The idea that “time had a beginning” was proven by Hawking and Penrose in the late 20th century, but with this new holographic approach, it takes on new meaning.

Hawking’s ultimate conclusion pointed to the idea that the Big Bang signifies not just the origin of time, but the origin of laws that govern it. The philosophical quest for the “ultimate cause” fades as the focus shifts to understanding how these laws developed with the emergence of the universe itself.

Hawking’s ultimate conclusion pointed to the idea that the Big Bang signifies not just the origin of time, but the origin of laws that govern it. The philosophical quest for the “ultimate cause” fades as the focus shifts to understanding how these laws developed with the emergence of the universe itself.