Einstein vs. Hawking. Battle of the brains

[renz20003]

In your opinion who had the most intelligence and who had the greatest impact on humanity?

 

[Greenman]

Einstein.

 

[DietDrThunder]

Einstein. We're talking a person who had no computer resources whatsoever because they didn't exist and had only the power of his mind. I've read his books on General Relativity, space-time, gravity, etc.. I can't say I fully understand any of it. But increasingly I read in different scientific journals that they keep proving his theories that he made 80+ years ago correct.

 

[Ichinisan]

Einstein's greatest impact came after his death. I guess time will tell if Hawking's observations and discoveries will have a greater impact.

As I understand it, most discoveries in modern physics are based on previous discoveries. So we need the knowledge gained from Einstein to develop the ideas from Hawking. Shoulders of giants..

 

[thebestMAX]

Not to put Hawking down but Einstein. Possibly equally brilliant but Einstein was first.

 

[zinfamous]

Well, einstein obviously.

IF we somehow manage to work out close-to-light or faster-than-light, or wormhole travel through space, or using the power of black holes to destroy enemy planets....which would invariably be built on the theories and discoveries of Sir Hawking, then Hawking might overtake Einstein. ...but then, Einstein's work would be involved in that as well, so dunno.

 

[BurnItDwn]

Einstein had the greatest impact.
Hawking's work was build on top of the basis of Einsteins work. Hawking may have been smarter than Einstein, or Einstein may have been smarter than Hawking.

 

[snoopy7548]

Einstein. You should check out the NOVA episode on him - Inside Einstein's Mind, I think it was called.

 

[dasherHampton]

Einstein was engineered by aliens. I saw that on TV.

 

[snoopy7548]

Einstein was engineered by aliens. I saw that on TV.

Not just any aliens, Ancient Aliens...