DHAKA: Nobel prize-winning scientist Stephen Hawking died at the age of 76, reports BBC quoting his family.

The British theoretical physicist was known for his groundbreaking work with black holes and relativity, and was the author of several popular science books including A Brief History of Time.

His children, Lucy, Robert and Tim, said: "We are deeply saddened that our beloved father passed away today.

"He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years."

Hawking was born on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England. He earned place at Oxford University to read natural science in 1959, before studying for his PhD at Cambridge

By 1963, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and given two years to live

He outlined his theory that black holes emit "Hawking radiation" in 1974.

His book ‘A Brief History of Time’ was published in 1988, which has sold more than 10 million copies.

BDST: 1043 HRS, MAR 14, 2018
SI