(PCM) The family of world renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has sadly confirmed that he has passed away at the age of 76 at his home in England. The details surrounding his death are still being confirmed and in a statement Hawking’s family said “We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today”. They added that he did die peacefully and that “he was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years.”
Hawking is best known for his work with black holes and various theories on relativity. He is the author of several incredibly popular books on the subject including “A Brief History Of Time” which has sold over 10 million copies. His family also went on to praise their father’s “courage and persistence”, as well as, his “brilliance and great sense of humor” which was an inspiration to others all over the world.
Hawking was diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease when he was only 22 years old and was told at the time that he would only have a few years to live. His rare and aggressive illness led to him being wheel-chair bound and mostly unable to speak except through using a voice synthesizer machine.
Hawking did much of his work on studying black holes at Cambridge University in England and is survived by his children Lucy, Robert and Tim. Hawking is quoted as saying “It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love” and the family says “We will miss him forever”.
According to BBC News, Hawking “was the first to set out a theory of cosmology as a union to relativity and quantum mechanics.” He earned his PhD at Cambridge University after completing a degree in natural science at Oxford University in 1959. Hawking’s fascinating life story was also the subject of the 2014 film “The Theory Of Everything” starring actor Eddie Redmayne.
Our sincere condolences go out to Stephen Hawking’s family and friends during this incredibly difficult time.