World renowned physicist Stephen Hawking has died at the age of 76

Stephen Hawking one of the most brilliant minds of our modern age, has died peacefully at his home in Cambridge in the early hours of Wednesday, his family said.

The Briton was known for his work with black holes and relativity, and wrote several popular science books including A Brief History of Time.

At the age of 22 Prof Hawking was given only a few years to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease.

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The illness left him in a wheelchair and largely unable to speak except through a voice synthesiser.