Stephen Hawking is a world-renowned British theoretical physicist, known for his

contributions to the fields of cosmology, general relativity and quantum gravity, especially in the
context of black holes. He has also published several works of popular science in which he
discusses his own theories and cosmology in general, including the runaway bestseller “A Brief
History of Time”, and has come to be thought of as one of the greatest minds in physics
since Albert Einstein. In his own words: “My goal is simple. It is complete understanding of
the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all”. At age 21, while studying cosmology at the
University of Cambridge, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Part of his
life story was depicted in the 2014 film The Theory of Everything.

At the age of 21, Stephen Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, or Lou
Gehrig's disease). In a very simple sense, the nerves that controlled his muscles were shutting
down. At the time, doctors gave him two and a half years to live. In a sense, Hawking's disease
helped turn him into the noted scientist he became. Before the diagnosis, Hawking hadn't always
focused on his studies. "Before my condition was diagnosed, I had been very bored with life," he
said. "There had not seemed to be anything worth doing." With the sudden realization that he
might not even live long enough to earn his PhD, Hawking poured himself into his work and
research.

In 1974, Hawking's research turned him into a celebrity within the scientific world when he
showed that black holes aren't the information vacuums that scientists had thought they were.
In simple terms, Hawking demonstrated that matter, in the form of radiation, can escape the
gravitational force of a collapsed star. Another young cosmologist, Roger Penrose, had earlier
discovered groundbreaking findings about the fate of stars and the creation of black holes,
which tapped into Hawking's own fascination with how the universe began. The pair then began
working together to expand upon Penrose’s earlier work, setting Hawking on a career course
marked by awards, notoriety and distinguished titles that reshaped the way the world thinks
about black holes and the universe.

On March 14, 2018, Hawking finally succumbed to ALS, the disease that was supposed to have
killed him more than 50 years earlier. A family spokesman confirmed that the iconic scientist
died at his home in Cambridge, England. The news touched many in his field and beyond. Fellow
theoretical physicist and author Lawrence Krauss tweeted: "A star just went out in the cosmos.
We have lost an amazing human being. Stephen Hawking fought and tamed the cosmos bravely
for 76 years and taught us all something important about what it truly means to celebrate about
being human."

Hawking's children followed with a statement: "We are deeply saddened that our beloved father
passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy
will live on for many years. His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humor inspired
people across the world. He once said, 'It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to
the people you love.' We will miss him forever."