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Stephen W. Hawking

       Born in Oxford, England, on 8 January 1942, Stephen William Hawking attended University College in Oxford, studying physics and graduating with honors in Natural Science without working very hard. After his PhD in Cosmology at Cambridge (1966), he became a Research Fellow, then a Professional Fellow at other institutions, then joined the Department of Applied Mathematics & Theoretical Physics at Cambridge in 1973. In 1979, he attained the post of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics (established in 1663).

       His general subject has been the basic laws which govern the universe, including Einstien's theories, quantum physics, the origin of the universe, and what have become known as 'black holes'. He published the technical book "Large Scale Structure of Space-Time" in 1971, and soon afterwards developed the theory that under certain conditions, black holes could indeed emit subatomic particles; this has since been termed 'Hawking Radiation'. He was awarded the title 'Commander of the British Empire' in 1982.

       Hawking became a household name upon publication of "A Brief History of Time" (1988) which was a Book-of-the-Month Club Selection and has sold 9 million copies to date; the book was later made into a documentary feature by Errol Morris (1992). Hawking's second best-seller was "Black Holes and Baby Universes & Other Essays" in 1994.

       The symptoms of his disability began to appear at college, around 1963, and was finally diagnosed as the incurable amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or 'A.L.S.', which is also known as 'Lou Gehrig's Disease'. Up to 1974, Hawking could still fend for himself, but the disease worsened, requiring care by nurses from 1980, then 24-hour care after a bout with pneumonia in 1985. He currently uses an electric wheelchair to get around, and a computerized voice synthesizer operated by facial muscles in order to speak.

       He had three children by his wife Jane, and now has a grandchild. Jane began an approved affair with a friend in 1985; in 1990, the couple separated and Stephen became involved with his nurse, Elaine Mason; they married in 1995. Ex-wife Jane married her long-time lover in 1996, and wrote a book about her marriage to Hawking; the book was published in August 1999.

       Professor Hawking has appeared on 'Larry King Live' on C.N.N., and as a character on the 'Simpsons' cartoon tv series. He currently travels the world giving lectures and interviews and attending symposiums, acoompanied by his attendants, and until recently by his second wife (they filed for divorce in October 2006).