The theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking died peacefully at his home at the age of 76 on March 14th – the birth date of Albert Einstein.
He was best known for his amazing work on relativity and black holes, written in his groundbreaking best-selling book – “A Brief History Of Time” (1988)
He suffered from an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as a type of motor neurone disease or Lou Gehrig’s disease, is a disease which causes the death of neurons controlling voluntary muscles.
And it is really fitting that he died on Pi Day and on Albert Einstein’s birthday.
Here’s what some people wrote on Twitter about this astonishing “coincidence”:
Stephen Hawking was born January 8, 1942, on the 300th anniversary of Galileo's death. He died today, March 14th, on the anniversary of Einstein's birth. Time is circular – no beginning, no end.
— Warren Leight (@warrenleightTV) March 14, 2018
Stephen Hawking was born on the 300th death anniversary of Galileo Galilei, and died on the 139th birth anniversary of Albert Einstein.
Gravity is indeed deterministic.
— Karan Jani (@AstroKPJ) March 14, 2018
Hawking died on the day Einstein was born;
And on the anniversary of Galileo's death;
Which happens to be PI Day;Einstein and Hawking both died aged 76.
I promise it just gets weirder
— Marina Amaral (@marinamaral2) March 14, 2018
So let me get this straight….. Stephen Hawking
-died on Pi Day
-died on Albert Einstein’s birthday
-was born on the 300th anniversary of Galileo’s deathThe cosmos is cosmic af
— Mykie (@GlamandGore) March 14, 2018
Born on Isaac Newton's birthday, died on Albert Einstein's birrhday.
RIP Stephen Hawking.
— The Malcontent (@TheMal_Content) March 14, 2018
As it was noted, Hawking was born on Isaac Newton’s birthday and also on the 300th anniversary of the death of Galileo Galilei.
When the theoretical physicist and cosmologist was diagnosed with ALS in 1963, the doctors said that he had only 2 years to live. But he managed to prove them wrong.
“One thing that is highlighted by this man’s course is that this is an incredibly variable disorder in many ways. On average people live two to three years after diagnosis.
But that means that half the people live longer, and there are people who live for a long, long time. Life expectancy turns on two things: the motor neurons running the diaphragm—the breathing muscles. So the common way people die is of respiratory failure.
And the other thing is the deterioration of swallowing muscles, and that can lead to malnutrition and dehydration.
If you don’t have these two things, you could potentially live for a long time—even though you’re getting worse. What’s happened to him is just astounding. He’s certainly an outlier,” said Leo McCluskey, medical director of the ALS Centre and an associate professor of neurology at the University of Pennsylvania.
And his children Tim, Lucy, and Robert stated:
“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.”
Rest in peace brilliant man! You’ll be greatly missed.
