World renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, 76, died today after complications from a degenerative neuro disease that he had dealt with for most of his life. Hawking, a legendary scientist who helped discuss and formulate opinions on some of the world’s most infamous topics — led what was certainly one of the most interesting lives we’ve seen in a while.
In 1963, at the age of 21, Hawking’s life changed forever. He was suddenly diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. The debilitating disease was known, at the time, to kill people with ALS within 5 years. His doctors? Didn’t believe he’d make it beyond two years.  For decades, he would go on to live a semi-healthy life by using a wheel chair and a sophisticated computer system to speak to others.
Hawking’s brilliant mind first entered the world before us, on, 8 January 1942. He would go on to be admitted to college at the age of 17, and,  spent much of his younger years “different” from others.
Via Oxford University