With an animated video, Google paid tribute to the distinguished scientist of his time. A professor, researcher, physicist, cosmologist, and author Stephen Hawking bid adieu to the world on the 14th of March 2018. At the time of his death, he was the director of research at the Center for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge. From 1978 till 2009 he was Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge.
Born in Oxford into a family of physicians on 8th January 1942, unlike most of his peers, he started his university education at University College, Oxford, where he received a first-class BA degree in physics. Hawking during his time was also given the fellowship of the royal society, permanent membership of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences and the Presidential medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award of the United States.
In the month of March Hawking received his Ph.D. degree in applied mathematics and theoretical physics, specializing in general relativity and cosmology.
A turmoil was brought into his life after he was diagnosed with the early-onset slow-progressing form of Motor Neurone Disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – ALS) that slowly over the decades took an aggressive form to paralyze him and he was limited to a wheelchair for the rest of his life.
Post loss of speech, he communicated through a mounted device called the speech-generating device initially through a handheld switch which after his total paralysis was confined to a single cheek muscle.
In 2002, Hawking was ranked 25th in the BBC’s poll of the 100 Greatest Britons.
During his life, he conducted many types of research on the topic of general relativity and popular science. His book A Brief History of Time showed up on the Sunday Times success list for a record-breaking 237 weeks.