My interest in physical science began when I first read "A Brief History of Time,” a book about black holes and the nature of time itself, written by Professor Stephen Hawkings for the general reader. I mean, who writes a book about cosmology intended as a general read? Yep, you guessed it right — Stephen Hawking.
Frankly, I decided to read A Brief History of Time only because it was free on my reading app, listed in the “General Reads” category, and had a five-star rating. But when I started reading it, I didn’t want it to end. Few books have been as enjoyable.
I was genuinely impressed by how Prof Hawking presented his ideas with brilliance, clarity, and simplicity. I learned that time and space were linked, that black holes ain’t so black, and that the size of the observable universe is about 90 billion light years in diameter. In other words, it would take an object moving at the speed of light 90 billion years to travel both ends of the observable universe. (You should pause and consider that for a few secs.)
Professor Hawking took complex concepts—black holes, the Big Bang, gravity, the nature of time itself—and made them approachable and even fun. Anyone can make a simple idea complex, but only a few can take a complex idea and make it simple for anyone to understand. It takes a special kind of genius and a profound understanding of the subject matter, both of which Stephen Hawking possessed.
A Brief History of Time left me awestruck by Hawking’s genius and eager to understand the universe more deeply. It also left me wondering: Would I have loved science (and perhaps excelled at it) if I’d had a teacher like Prof? Or I'm I just a hopeless innumerate whose brain is not built to understand numbers? Well, I guess we'll never know now.
But one important lesson I got from that experience was that no subject — not even theoretical physics— is beyond my ability to comprehend. I can learn anything.
To give you a little more context. I come from an arts background (with a degree in politics and international studies) and have never had a formal computer science education. I failed every math exam I ever took. The best result I ever got was an E. And as at my first year at the university, I didn't know how to turn off a desktop computer! I ended with a D in the Introduction to Computer Science course they made everyone take in their first year in uni.
Fast-forward to now, nearly 10 years after that, here I am gaining mastery of skills I never imagined I could: computer programming, software development. And I’ve recently been consuming a lot of content on physics and astronomy. I now understand the universe in ways I haven’t done before. It’s exciting.
There’s so much potential in technology to improve people’s lives, and I’m excited to join the industry to explore that potential. I believe that everyone—disabled or not, rich or poor, in the Global North or South—deserves access to the technology they need to live a fulfilling life. With open source and accessibility, we can break down all the barriers to the use of technology and build a more inclusive society.
I’m super excited about my career in software development, solving real-world problems with code and feeling like some magician. I’m committed to implementing accessibility best practices in the applications I build. I’m committed to contributing to open-source projects.
So what can you expect from my upcoming articles here?
Well, for starters, I'll be documenting my progress as I learn and build. I'll share
my triumphs and my struggles and, hopefully, offer some helpful insights for other
beginners along the way. And, most important, I'll be sharing my passion for writing, web development, and popular science.
Join me for the ride.