• → European Space Agency

      • Space for Europe
      • Space News
      • Space in Images
      • Space in Videos
    • About Us

      • Welcome to ESA
      • DG's news and views
      • For Member State Delegations
      • Business with ESA
      • Law at ESA
      • ESA Exhibitions
      • ESA Publications
      • Careers at ESA
      • ESAshop
    • Our Activities

      • Space News
      • Observing the Earth
      • Human Spaceflight
      • Space Transportation
      • Navigation
      • Space Science
      • Space Engineering & Technology
      • Operations
      • Telecommunications & Integrated Applications
      • Preparing for the Future
    • Careers at ESA

    • For Media

      • Media
      • ESA TV
      • Videos for professionals
      • Photos
    • For Educators

    • For Kids

    • ESA

    • Welcome to ESA

    • History

    • Art & Culture in Space

    • All about ESA
    • ESA's Purpose
    • United space in Europe
    • A European Vision
    • Establishments
      and facilities
    • Funding
    • Security at ESA
    • Publications
    • A European agency...
    • ESA and the EU
    • European milestones
    • European Space Policy
    • New Member States
    • European Cooperating States
    • Download
    • ESA Annual Report 2014
    • ESA Annual Report 2013
    • ESA Annual Report 2012
    • ESA Annual Report 2011
    • ESA Annual Report 2010
    • ESA Convention

    ESA > About Us > Welcome to ESA

    Professor Sir Fred Hoyle

    Fred Hoyle
    24 August 2001

    Professor Sir Fred Hoyle, astronomer, cosmologist and science author, has died at the age of 86.

    Although best known as a supporter of the Steady State theory of the Universe and a determined opponent of the commonly accepted Big Bang theory, Hoyle also received international acclaim for his original work on stars, galaxies, gravity and the origin of atoms.

    Despite coining the term 'Big Bang' to describe the theory that the cosmos was created by a huge explosion 12 000 million years ago, Hoyle refused to accept its authenticity. Instead, he advocated that the Universe had no beginning and that new galaxies formed in the gaps as others moved apart.

    In spite of observational evidence to the contrary, he continued to attack the Big Bang theory and recently presented a robust defence of a compromise 'quasi-steady state' Universe in A Different Approach to Cosmology.

    Less publicised but just as significant were his contributions to the development of modern ideas on the physics of stars and galaxies. One of his outstanding contributions concerned the discovery that the elements which make up ourselves, the Earth and the entire visible Universe were forged from nuclear reactions inside distant stars. This theory of 'nucleogenesis', on which he collaborated with Margaret Burbidge, Geoffrey Burbidge and William Fowler, recognised that hydrogen was the building block from which atoms such as silicon, carbon and iron were created.

    Much of Hoyle’s scientific career was conducted from Cambridge University, England, where he was the Plumian Professor of Astronomy from 1958 until 1972 and where he founded the renowned Institute of Theoretical Astronomyin 1966. However, he also participated in many fruitful collaborations with colleagues abroad, particularly in the California Institute of Technology, USA, where he was appointed visiting associate in physics in 1963 and in Cornell University, USA, where he held a visiting professorship for six years after retiring from Cambridge.

    During his lifetime Professor Sir Fred Hoyle received many honours from learned societies and international bodies, including the Royal Medal of the Royal Society, the United Nations Kalinga Prize and the Crafoord Prize, awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences.

    Rate this

    Views

    Share

    • Currently 5 out of 5 Stars.
    • 1
    • 2
    • 3
    • 4
    • 5
    Rating: 5/5 (1 votes cast)

    Thank you for rating!

    You have already rated this page, you can only rate it once!

    Your rating has been changed, thanks for rating!

    527
    Tweet
    • App Store
    • Subscribe
    • mobile version
    • LATEST ARTICLES
    • · Walking on the Moon – underwater
    • · Storm hunter in position
    • · Mars impact crater or supervolcano?
    • · Top tomatoes thanks to Mars missio…
    • · Mars Express v2.0
    • FAQ

    • Site Map

    • Contacts

    • Terms and conditions