There is no heaven @BrkingWorldNews

Stephen Hawking: 'There is no heaven; it's a fairy story' http://t.co/gCrtZ6H via @BrkingWorldNews

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian the cosmologist shares his thoughts on death, M-theory, human purpose and our chance existenceA belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a "fairy story" for people afraid of death, Stephen Hawking has said.In a dismissal that underlines his firm rejection of...

http://www.guardian.co.uk/

Stephen Hawking: 'There is no heaven; it's a fairy story'

In an exclusive interview with the Guardian, the cosmologist shares his thoughts on death, M-theory, human purpose and our chance existence

• Ian Sample, science correspondent
• guardian.co.uk, Sunday 15 May 2011 22.00 BST

Stephen Hawking dismisses belief in God in an exclusive interview with the Guardian. Photograph: Solar & Heliospheric Observatory/Discovery Channel

A belief that heaven or an afterlife awaits us is a "fairy story" for people afraid of death, Stephen Hawking has said.

In a dismissal that underlines his firm rejection of religious comforts, Britain's most eminent scientist said there was nothing beyond the moment when the brain flickers for the final time.

Hawking, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease at the age of 21, shares his thoughts on death, human purpose and our chance existence in an exclusive interview with the Guardian today.