Stephen Hawking, arguable the greatest of minds in physics, has passed away at the age of 76. Hawking, who has suffered from Motor Neurone Disease, also known as ALS, for the past 50 years, passed away peacefully at his home in Cambridge, England in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Hawking’s children, Lucy, Robert and Tim issued a joint statement.
“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today. He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years. His courage and persistence with his brilliance and humour inspired people across the world. He once said, ‘It would not be much of a universe if it wasn’t home to the people you love’. We will miss him forever.”
As well as his remarkable achievements in the academic and science worlds, Hawking also made a huge stamp on popular culture throughout the decades. Over the years he has made appearances in the likes of Futurama, The Simpsons, Star Trek: The Next Generation and The Big Bang Theory. His remarkable life was also captured in the biopic The Theory Of Everything in which he was played by Eddie Redmayne in an Oscar-winning turn.
Tributes poured in from the pop culture world after news of his passing broke.
Goodbye #StephenHawking Thank you for being – amongst everything else – a great laugh. pic.twitter.com/M1d1GEsv9r
— David Walliams (@davidwalliams) March 14, 2018
RIP Stephen Hawking.
A genius of our time. #StarTrek #StephenHawking pic.twitter.com/3NB91GcIif
— Just Star Trek (@JustStarTrek) March 14, 2018
RIP Stephen Hawking, a brilliant mind and an extraordinary man who has been an inspiration to all of us. #stephenhawking pic.twitter.com/JbrPYchfbs
— Jean-Michel Jarre (@jeanmicheljarre) March 14, 2018
Just woke up in London to learn that one of our, (if not the), greatest minds has joined the cosmos. Goodbye #StephenHawking and RIP.
— Josh Gad (@joshgad) March 14, 2018
“If you are looking for trouble, you found it.” #StephenHawking pic.twitter.com/PnYg07MhAz
— SimpsonsQOTD (@SimpsonsQOTD) March 14, 2018
Goodbye to the great #StephenHawking, and thank you for your grace, your intellect, your vision, your light and your inspiration.
— Bette Midler (@BetteMidler) March 14, 2018
