Life would be tragic if it weren't funny. — Stephen Hawking · Smartyfair

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Life would be tragic if it weren't funny. — Stephen Hawking · Smartyfair

Life would be tragic if it weren't funny.

Stephen Hawking1942–2018 · scientist · 1900s-2000s EnglandStephen Hawking was a physicist who studied black holes and the origins of the universe, becoming one of the most famous scientists of his time.7 quotes

Source foundWisdom

In plain words

Life would be unbearably sad if it were not also funny.

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Where these words come from

How sure this is: 80% sureThese words were traced back to where they first appeared. That source is listed below.
What turned up: Quoted in 'The Science of Second-Guessing,' The New York Times (12 December 2004).
Work: New York Times profile
Occasion: 2004 · published in New York · Profile piece discussing his outlook on life
Sources checked: en.wikiquote.orgChecked using claude-sonnet-5, 21 August 2026Sourced, NYT 2004

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