Professor Stephen Hawking, a fellow at Cambridge University and one of the most famous and influential physicists of all time, has passed away peacefully at his home in the early hours of Wednesday, March 13, 2018. As sad as his passing may be, it seems mathematically appropriate that he has died on 3.14, referred to as “pi” day (for the math-challenged: π is the 16th letter of the greek alphabet and is used to represent the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter).
Professor Hawking was diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease at the age of 22 and the prognosis at the time indicated that he would probably not live more than a few years with his illness. Over 54 years later, he was still amazing the world with his brilliant mind and his hillarious sense of humor. In the world of science and acedemics, he was truly a rock star of epic proportions.
“We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today, ” his children, Lucy, Robert and Tim said in their statement. “He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years.”
They praised his “courage and persistence” and said 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.”