Renowned physicist Professor Stephen Hawking passed away on Tuesday, his family members announced.
Hawking died at his home in Cambridge, England, at the age of 76, reported ABC News.
His children Lucy, Robert and Tim said in a statement, "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 humor 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."
Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, was an Honorary Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts (FRSA), a lifetime member of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, and a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the U.S.
His book “A Brief History of Time: From the Big Bang to Black Holes,” a book on cosmology written for laymen, appeared on the British Sunday Times best-seller list for a record-breaking 237 weeks.
Hawking suffered a rare early-onset, slow-progressing form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) that gradually paralyzed him over decades, though he was still able to communicate using a single cheek muscle attached to a speech-generating device.
In 2013, he made headlines when he cancelled a visit to Israel due to his backing of an academic boycott of the Jewish state.