Google Doodle celebrated the birth anniversary of the late cosmologist and physicist Stephen Hawking — one of history’s most influential scientific minds — with a two-minute animation to commemorate his memory.
This year marks Hawking’s 80th birthday anniversary. He was born on 8 January 1942.
One of the most renowned scientists in his field, Hawking’s theories on the origins and nature of the universe revolutionised modern physics, while his best-selling books helped make the field more widely accessible to millions of people around the world.
He was diagnosed with motor neurone disease in 1964 at the age of 22 and given just a few years to live.
The father-of-three was later confined to a wheelchair and relied on a computer to communicate, however, he continued to travel the world to present lectures and further scientific knowledge before his death at the age of 76 in March 2018.
The doodle also featured the voice of Hawking, which has been generated to narrate some of his most impactful quotes, Google said.
“We are delighted that Google has chosen to celebrate our father’s 80th birthday with this fabulous doodle,” Lucy, Robert, and Tim Hawking — Stephen’s children — said
They asserted that he would have loved the doodle and been very entertained to see his long, distinguished life expressed so creatively.
They also believed that he would have found it important to show that he never allowed the challenges of his physical condition to limit his power of expression nor his determination to make an impact on the world in which he lived.
They also expressed their hope that his example offers inspiration and hope globally to all who face great challenges at this difficult time.
“Our father would have been 80 years old today, and we thank everyone who has joined in the celebration of his extraordinary life and the legacy he gave to us all.”