Stephen Hawking (theoretical physicist)

Stephen Hawking was an influential British theoretical physicist known for his work on black holes and cosmology. He is famous for proposing that black holes emit radiation, now known as Hawking radiation, challenging the notion that nothing could escape them. Despite being diagnosed with ALS and losing most of his physical abilities, he continued to work and communicate using a speech-generating device. Hawking authored the best-selling book "A Brief History of Time," which explored complex scientific concepts in an accessible way, making profound ideas about the universe understandable to the general public. He passed away in 2018.