On 14 March, 2018. one of science's brightest stars went dark. Stephen Hawking, the world-famous British scientist, died at 76 in Cambridge, UK.
Hawking is considered by many people to be the greatest scientist in history since Albert Einstein. He came up with the theory that the universe began with the Big Bang (大爆炸) and will end in black holes. His theories became the base for a lot of later research. He also wrote books to help people understand the universe. His most famous book is A Brief History of Time, which has sold more than 10 million copies around the world, according to CNN.
Besides his scientific achievements, Hawking was also someone who had a strong will (意志力) and optimistic attitude. When Hawking was 21, he wasdiagnosedwith a serious disease that stopped him from walking and talking. Later in life, he had to sit in a wheelchair and "speak" using a computerized voice. But this didn't stop him from living a meaningful and colourful life. "If one is physically disabled, one cannot afford to be psychologically (心理上) disabled as well" he once said.
Hawking travelled around the world to attend science conferences visiting every continent, including Antarctica. He was also a fan of pop culture and appeared on TV shows such as Star Trek and The Big Bang Theory. Hawking has millions of fans in China. His first message of Sina Weibo was a greeting to his "friends in China" posted in both English and Chinese.
He celebrated his 60th birthday by going up in a hot-air balloon When he was 65, he took part in a zero-gravity flight to experience weightlessness (失重). He hoped to travel into space one day.
In 2013, Hawking spoke about how he felt life was unfair when he first knew his disease. "But now, 50 years later, I can be quietly satisfied with my life, "he said.
