Rest in Peace Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was a visionary physicist who died on March 14, 2018, in his home in Cambridge at the age of 76 because of ALS (Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis), which is a rare neurological disease causing the death of neurons in control of voluntary muscles. Hawking admitted himself, that he did not expect to reach the age he did and felt “very fortunate to be able to reflect on [his] legacy”. He was known for his theories on relativity and black holes.

Stephen Hawking also appeared on many TV shows, such as the Simpsons, The Big Bang Theory and Star Trek. A rare disease he had (motor neuron disease) inspired the movie The Theory of Everything, starring Oscar winner Eddie Redmayne. Hawking published a book titled A Brief History of Time, which has sold over 10 million copies. He had three children with his first wife, Jane, and later left her for his nurse Elaine in 1990, but then divorced her in 2006.

Stephen Hawking was best recognized for “his discovery that black holes emit radiation which can be detected by special instrumentation. His discovery has made the detailed study of black holes possible”. He was known for his contributions to the fields of cosmology, general relativity and quantum gravity, which is also known as “the theory of everything”. Until March 13, 2018, he maintained Isaac Newton’s place as the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University in England.

Throughout his life, Stephen Hawking was an incredible inspiration to all humanity; especially those with difficulties, diseases or struggles in their life. He showed that someone labeled “disabled” could be one of the greatest physicists in history. “Hawking wanted everyone to know that people with disabilities could live full lives, just like he had, if they had the right tools and support”.  Hawking’s wheelchair didn’t confine him and this gave him a unique perspective on the world: if he didn’t have this disability, it is possible he wouldn’t have discovered what he did.

For further information, go to BBC News, this other website or this website.