JAMES PATTERSON : discuss cognitive neuroscience, artificial intelligence, systems of a encryption and decryption, and other topics. Epstein had been hosting get-togethers like this for years. : Toward the end of Chief Reiter's investigation, in March of 2006, Epstein had hosted twenty top physicists— including three Nobel j Prize winners as well as the celebrity physicist Stephen Hawking — : at a Saint Thomas symposium called “Confronting Gravity,” : q which was advertised as “a workshop to explore fundamental j questions in physics and cosmology.” : | “This is a remarkable group,” one of the Nobel Prize winners ; % told a reporter for the St. Thomas Source. 4 4 “There is no agenda except fun and physics, and that’s fun with a capital F,” Epstein said. : q Al Seckel: Janu ary 201: Epstein had been especially interested in Stephen Hawking. a 4 Someday, Hawking had theorized, the universe would stop a P expanding and collapse, at which point time would begin to run 4 4 pstein’s partner in the backwards. Hawking believed that computer viruses were living a 4 f i ee things. He thought that given the size of the universe, alien life a 4 were said to have incl forms existed. He did not believe in God. But he had a vast appre- 4 "cian James “the Amazing” | ciation for the inner workings of the universe, and this is why g | founder Elon Mu sk axed Epstein gave Hawking a tremendous gift. He paid to have a sub- d _ Epstein would court in the c marine modified so that it could fit Hawking and his wheelchair ~ "ladder. and give the scientist his first glimpse of an actual alien world— 3 q In certain Los Angeles ci the one that lies under the waves of the ocean. 4 to know. But, like Je oe It was one of the most romantic, generous gestures that Jef | According to Mark Oppenhe frey Epstein had ever made. i and followed his career for fi q q by selling rare books and ps q academic connections. ?; a | : ‘A number of these trans: a Tawsuits, Oppenheimer wo1 232 q ; 4 q HOUSE_OVERSIG