A spokesman for his family has announced the passing of Stephen Hawking.

Professor Hawking's children, Lucy, Robert and Tim said in a statement that he had died at his home in Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday, saying “We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today.”

Stephen Hawking will forever be engrained in History for his incredible contributions to Science and helping to unlock the mysteries of the Universe.

RIP to the man who never stopped wondering “why”.