Stephen Hawking
Born in North London, Stephen Hawking attended St Albans School and later studied at Oxford University, where he graduated with a first-class honors degree in Natural Sciences. He pursued cosmology at Cambridge University, working under noted scientists such as Dennis Sciama. Hawking became the Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge in 1979, a position once held by Sir Isaac Newton.
Hawking made significant contributions to understanding the universe, particularly through his work on black holes and the Big Bang, combining Einstein's General Theory of Relativity with quantum mechanics. He demonstrated that black holes emit radiation, now known as Hawking radiation, and that the universe has a finite beginning and end.
At age 21, Hawking was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a motor neuron disease that gradually paralyzed him. Despite this, he continued his scientific work using a computerized speech-generating device after losing his voice. He could communicate by selecting words on a computer screen, enabling him to produce approximately 10 words per minute.
Hawking wrote several popular science books, including A Brief History of Time and The Universe in a Nutshell, which have been translated into over 40 languages and helped to make complex scientific concepts accessible to the public. His work and writings have inspired many, including children, by expanding imaginations about the cosmos.
Hawking received numerous awards and honors, including the Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in 1982. He was a fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences.