Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking:Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking said in an interview published Monday in the U.K.’s Guardian newspaper that he rejects the notion of heaven.

Stephen Hawking, the British physicist and best-selling author famed for his work on time and space theory while confined to a wheelchair, answers questions during an interview in Orlando in this April 25, 2007 file photo.

Google’s chief business officer, Nikesh Arora, said: Our aim with our annual Zeitgeist conference is very simple:

To bring together a disparate group of global thought leaders to explore the spirit of the times through discussions of politics, the economy, technology, and culture, said Nikesh Arora, Google’s chief business officer.

This weekend, the U.K.’s The Guardian newspaper published an interview with Hawking in which the celebrated scientist said, “there is no heaven..that is a fairy story for people afraid of the dark.