Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking was a British scientist, professor, and writer who did pioneering work in physics and cosmology and helped make science available to everyone. While studying cosmology at the University of Cambridge, he was diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) at the age of 21. Part of his life story is portrayed in the 2014 movie Theory of Everything. Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England. His birthday also celebrated the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death. This is the source of long-standing pride for renowned physicists. Hawking, the eldest of four children, Frank and Isobel Hawking, was born into a family of thinkers. His Scottish mother went on to Oxford University in the 1930s. At that time, few women were able to go to college. Another Oxford graduate, his father, was a prominent medical researcher specializing in tropical diseases. Hawking enrolled in University Colle...