LONDON: Stephen Hawking, who has died aged 76, was Britain's most famous modern day scientist, a genius who dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the universe. Most of his life was spent in a wheelchair crippled by amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a form of motor neurone disease that attacks the nerves controlling voluntary movement. Stephen William Hawking, though, was far from normal. "It is complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all." The Oscar triumph was celebrated by Hawking, who has reportedly said there were moments watching the film when he thought he was watching himself.

Source: New Strait Times March 14, 2018 04:41 UTC