Physicist Stephen Hawking dies at age 76

The world renowned physicist and cosmologist Stephen Hawking, notable for his work regarding black holes and relativity died wednesday after complications due to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis - a progressive neurodegenerative disease. He died peacefully at the age of 76 at his home in Cambridge in on Wednesday

Source: BBC News

A little History about Stephen Hawking

Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England. In 1959, he won a scholarship to University College, Oxford, his father's old college where he pursued his particular interests in thermodynamics, relativity, and quantum mechanics and graduated with a First Class BA degree.

After graduating from Oxford, he spent a short time studying sunspots at Oxford University’s observatory. However, he soon realized that he was more interested in theory than in observation, and left Oxford for Trinity Hall, Cambridge.

Soon after arriving in Cambridge, In 1963, at the age of 21 , he was diagnosed with debilitating motor neuron disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis where his doctors give him about two years to live. But Hawking survived for decades but lost control of his arms, legs and voice. He used his wheelchair and a computer system to speak.

For a complete and more detailed information about the accomplishments and autobiography of Stephen Hawking. Visit the following links.

Sources:

BBC News
Huffingtonpost: Stephen Hawking Obituary
Physics of the Universe: Stephen Hawking Autobiography -

It is with no doubt that Stephen Hawking was one of the greatest mind in today's time. His accomplishments, theories and research has helped advance humankind to the understanding of the universe. He will surely be missed especially in the scientific world.