Stephen Hawking s Death Of The Greatest Scientist

Imagine if you could only move your left hand an inch or so, and the rest of your body was completely paralyzed. You can’t talk, and you can hardly move. This disease is called amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Lou Gehrig’s disease, or ALS and this is what Stephen Hawking has. Despite the fact that he is handicapped, he has managed to become one of the greatest scientists ever. Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 (exactly 300 years after the death of Galileo Galilei) in Oxford, England. As a kid, he was fascinated with the idea of an ever-growing universe that he lives in, and would occasionally lie on his front lawn, with his family, observing the sky and taking turns looking through a telescope at the stars. On one quiet, dark†¦show more content†¦His great abilities in physics were weakened by his poor study habits. After his final exam, Stephen was on the line between first and second honors. To determine his degree, the professors decided to give him an oral exam. He passed the test with excellence, and therefore, went on to Cambridge. At Cambridge University, he was going to study cosmetology, a branch of physics. Fortunately for him he decided to study theoretical physics, not experimental physics where he would have had to set up many experiments, which he could not have done after he got ALS. By now, Stephen had been diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. ALS slowly destroys the nerves in the brain and spine. ALS victims usually die within 2-5 years because it destroys the muscles used for breathing which leads to suffocation. When he was diagnosed with ALS, he pretty much gave up his life. After he did not die after two years, he realized he could go on with ALS and his study of cosmetology. Although he was weak, he could still walk. After those 2 years, he decided he could not waste any time, there were things he wanted to do in his life. Hawking wanted to get married and get a Ph.D. So he was engaged to Jane Wilde in 1965. Hawking said, It [getting married to her] made me determined to live, to go on. Jane really gave me the will to live. Then he got his Ph.D. and started to work at Cambridge. He was now officially known as Professor Dr. Stephen William Hawking. His health