Stephen Hawking was a renowned British physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge. His groundbreaking work included extensive studies about black holes and relativity, besides books such as "The Universe in a Nutshell" and "A Brief History of Time". His work also helped increase the acceptance of The Big Bang Theory among the scientific community.

At the age of 21, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), when doctors said he would likely live for only two more years. He actually lived for 53 more years and died on 14 March 2018 at the age of 76.

Because of this disease, he lost his capacity to move and speak, but a wheelchair and a voice synthesizer allowed him to continue his life and work.

Many films on his work and himself have been produced, including "The Theory of Everything", a biographical film which was released in 2014 and starred Eddie Redmayne as the physicist.

"Remember to look up at the stars and not down at your feet. Try to make sense of what you see and wonder about what makes the universe exist. Be curious." - Stephen Hawking