Stephen Hawking – His Disease, Discoveries, and Enduring Legacy

Stephen Hawking transformed how we understand the universe. Despite a devastating diagnosis at age 21, he lived for 55 more years, becoming one of the most celebrated theoretical physicists and science communicators of all time. His life and work continue to inspire millions.

Born in Oxford, England on 8 January 1942, Hawking grew up in a family of physicians. He showed early brilliance at University College, Oxford (BA in physics) and later at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where he completed his PhD in 1966. His path changed forever in 1963 when doctors told him he had amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and gave him just two years to live.

Not only did Hawking survive, he thrived. He rewrote the rules of cosmology, proposed Hawking radiation, and authored “A Brief History of Time”—a book that made complex ideas accessible to millions. This article explores his disease, his science, his family, and the legacy he left behind.

What disease did Stephen Hawking have?

Key insights

• Stephen Hawking defied an ALS diagnosis that typically offers a 2–3 year life expectancy, living for 55 years after diagnosis. (Wikipedia)
• His book ‘A Brief History of Time’ sold over 10 million copies and remained on the Sunday Times bestseller list for 237 weeks. (Britannica)
• Hawking was the first to formulate a theory of cosmology explained by a union of general relativity and quantum mechanics, specifically through black hole radiation. (University of Cambridge)
• He held the Lucasian Professorship of Mathematics at Cambridge, a chair once held by Isaac Newton and Paul Dirac. (Medlink)
• Hawking’s ALS was a juvenile or variant form, associated with longer survival than classic Lou Gehrig’s disease. (Scientific American)

Snapshot facts

What were Stephen Hawking’s most famous contributions to science?

Hawking radiation: light from black holes

In 1974, Hawking proposed that black holes emit radiation and eventually evaporate. This theory, now known as Hawking radiation, for the first time bridged quantum mechanics and general relativity. It remains a cornerstone of theoretical physics, though direct experimental evidence has not yet been obtained. (Scitemed)

The nature of the universe: from Big Bang to no boundary

Working with Roger Penrose, Hawking used singularity theorems to prove that the universe began with a Big Bang and, under certain conditions, would also end. Later, with Jim Hartle, he developed the Hartle–Hawking state, a speculative model proposing that time did not exist before the Big Bang. These ideas reshaped cosmology. (Scientific American)

Popular science books that changed the world

Hawking believed science should be for everyone. His book “A Brief History of Time” (1988) became a global phenomenon, spending 237 weeks on the Sunday Times bestseller list. He wrote several other bestsellers, including “The Universe in a Nutshell” and “The Grand Design”, each taking on big questions like why we exist. (Stephen Hawking Estate)

Who was Stephen Hawking’s family?

Stephen Hawking met Jane Wilde at a party in 1962, just before his ALS diagnosis. They married the following year and raised three children: Robert (1967), Lucy (1970), and Timothy (1979). The marriage ended in divorce in 1995 after Hawking fell in love with one of his carers, Elaine Mason, whom he married in 1997 and divorced in 2006. Jane supported Hawking’s career, and their relationship was dramatized in the film “The Theory of Everything”. (PMC)

When and how did Stephen Hawking die?

Stephen Hawking died peacefully at his home in Cambridge on 14 March 2018 at the age of 76. His death was attributed to the progression of his long-term ALS rather than any acute cause. He was still actively working at the Center for Theoretical Cosmology up to his final years. (Scitemed)

His ashes are interred in Westminster Abbey, near the grave of Sir Isaac Newton. A memorial service celebrated his life and contributions.

How did Stephen Hawking’s early life shape his career?

Hawking’s early years laid the groundwork for his later achievements. He entered University College, Oxford at age 17 (1959) and earned a first-class BA in physics. In 1962, he moved to Cambridge for his PhD, where he soon received his ALS diagnosis. The conditional prognosis motivated him to complete his doctoral work quickly. He married Jane Wilde in 1965 and obtained his PhD the same year. His career accelerated from there.

1. 1942 – Born in Oxford, England
2. 1959 – Enters University College, Oxford at age 17
3. 1962 – Begins PhD research at Cambridge University; meets Jane Wilde
4. 1963 – Diagnosed with ALS at age 21
5. 1965 – Marries Jane Wilde; awarded PhD
6. 1970 – Begins work on black hole radiation
7. 1974 – Proposes Hawking radiation; becomes Fellow of the Royal Society
8. 1979 – Appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge
9. 1985 – Loses voice after pneumonia; starts using speech computer
10. 1988 – Publishes “A Brief History of Time”
11. 2018 – Dies peacefully at home in Cambridge

Why didn’t Stephen Hawking win a Nobel Prize?

What is Stephen Hawking’s legacy?

Hawking built on Einstein’s general relativity and quantum mechanics to create new ways of thinking about the cosmos. More than a scientist, he became a cultural icon—appearing on The Simpsons, Star Trek: The Next Generation, and other shows. He advocated for science communication, disability rights, and space exploration. The 2002 BBC poll placed him 25th in the list of “Greatest Britons”.

His work on black holes, including Hawking radiation and the information paradox, remains at the forefront of theoretical physics. The Event Horizon Telescope’s 2019 image of a black hole confirmed many of the concepts he helped develop.

What is Stephen Hawking’s most famous quote?

“However difficult life may seem, there is always something you can do and succeed at. It matters that you don’t just give up.”

Stephen Hawking, 2012 lecture (CNN)

“My goal is simple. It is a complete understanding of the universe, why it is as it is and why it exists at all.”

Stephen Hawking, A Brief History of Time (1988)

“Hawking was a brilliant physicist and an extraordinary man who overcame huge physical challenges to make profound contributions to our understanding of the universe.”

Professor Stephen Toope, former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Cambridge (University of Cambridge)

What is the overall significance of Stephen Hawking?

Stephen Hawking reshaped cosmology and made the universe a subject for everyone. His theories remain active research areas, and his personal story of perseverance continues to inspire. His legacy lives on through the Stephen Hawking Archive at Cambridge and the ongoing search for Hawking radiation. For more on how technology and the cosmos intersect, see our article on NASA Interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS.

Frequently asked questions about Stephen Hawking