Cosmologist Stephen Hawking, Dead at 76

(Editor's note: This article was first published by PBS NewsHour.) 

Credit: Courtesy of Bigger Bang

Stephen Hawking, the brilliant theoretical physicist whose theories shaped the universe as we know it, died early Wednesday morning, on the birthday of Albert Einstein. He was 76.

Hawking is regarded as one of the most influential scientists in history, known especially for his study on the origins and design of the universe. His theories changed how we understand black holes and relativity and the Big Bang. But it was the way that Hawking communicated science in bestselling books and lectures, despite suffering from a debilitating disease, that introduced generations of avid fans to the cosmos.