Paul Davies
A physicist who translates the cosmos's biggest questions—from the origin of life to the nature of time—into compelling stories for the public.
Born 1946 (age 80)·English physicist, writer and broadcaster·Birthday: April 22·Baby Boomers
Biography
Paul Davies has built a career at the crossroads of deep theoretical physics and public imagination. Moving from London to academic posts across the globe, from Australia to Arizona, he has never been confined by discipline or geography. His early work on quantum field theory in curved spacetime placed him at the forefront of cosmological thought, but his broader impact lies in his ability to ask provocative, foundational questions. He dove into the puzzle of life's origin, championing the field of astrobiology, and probed the persistent mysteries of time's arrow and the universe's seemingly bio-friendly laws. As a writer and broadcaster, Davies possesses a rare gift for distilling complex concepts without dumbing them down, earning a wide audience for books like 'The Mind of God' and 'The Fifth Miracle'. He leads research centers dedicated to fundamental concepts, driven by a belief that the biggest scientific puzzles are also the most human.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Paul was born in 1946, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Paul Was Born
The biggest hits of 1946
#1 Movie
The Best Years of Our Lives
Best Picture
The Best Years of Our Lives
Paul's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1946Born
United Nations holds its first General Assembly
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $5,150Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Prisoner of Love" — Perry ComoBest Picture: The Best Years of Our Lives
1951Started school
First color TV broadcast in the US
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,925Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Too Young" — Nat King ColeBest Picture: An American in Paris
1959Became a teenager
Fidel Castro takes power in Cuba
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $12,400Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"The Battle of New Orleans" — Johnny HortonBest Picture: Ben-Hur
1962Could drive
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1964Could vote
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1967Turned 21
Summer of Love in San Francisco; first Super Bowl
Gas: $0.33/galHome: $14,250Min wage: $1.40/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"To Sir, with Love" — LuluBest Picture: In the Heat of the Night
1976Turned 30
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1986Turned 40
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1996Turned 50
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
2006Turned 60
Twitter launches; Pluto reclassified as dwarf planet
Gas: $2.59/galHome: $174,700Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Bad Day" — Daniel PowterBest Picture: The Departed
2016Turned 70
Donald Trump elected president; Brexit vote
Gas: $2.14/galHome: $181,700Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Love Yourself" — Justin BieberBest Picture: Moonlight
2026Turned 80
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Awarded the Templeton Prize in 1995 for his work exploring the intersection of science and religion.
- Authored over 20 books for general audiences, including 'The Goldilocks Enigma' and 'How to Build a Time Machine'.
- Currently a professor and director of the Beyond Center for Fundamental Concepts in Science at Arizona State University.
- Made significant contributions to the theory of quantum vacuum effects in curved spacetime.
Did You Know?
He once held a chair created specifically for him at the University of Adelaide, titled the 'Professor of Natural Philosophy'.
He has appeared in numerous BBC and documentary series explaining complex scientific ideas.
An asteroid, 1992 OG2, was named '6870 Pauldavies' in his honor.
“The universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose.”
