Stephen Hawking's genius in science and other fields brought him global fame throughout his lifetime.

In 1974, he became one of the youngest fellows of Britain's most prestigious scientific body, the Royal Society, at the ripe age of 32. In 1979, he was appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge University. He was best known for his scientific work on black holes and the cosmos. He also played a key role in the mathematical effort to unify Einstein's general theory of relativity, with the field of quantum physics. His 1988 book "A Brief History of Time", sought to explain the fundamental theories of the universe, to ordinary people. It became an international best-seller. It was followed in 2001 by his publication, "The Universe in a Nutshell".