World famous theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author Stephen Hawking passed away on March 14, 2018 at the age of 76.

Hawking was diagnosed with ALS when he was 21. Given just two and a half years to live, he exceeded his life expectancy by more than 50 years. The disease slowly paralyzed him throughout his life, confining him to a wheelchair since the age of 27.

Perhaps best known for his best selling books about space and the universe, Hawking has inspired countless individuals to pursue their scientific curiosities. He was one of the most public scientific personalities of the 20th and 21st centuries.

Hawking’s most significant scientific achievement was his combination of Einstein’s theory of relativity and quantum theory. Although currently unproven, his model attempts to explain how time and space are connected.

Hawking was married twice and had three children. His relationship with his first wife, Jane, was made into the Academy Award winning film The Theory of Everything in 2015.