If you were to mention the name “Stephen Hawking” in a group of people, several different things might come to mind. You might think of his controversial views on religion, his debilitating illness, or his theories about the formation of the universe. This essay will cover all these topics, including many other facts from the life of Stephen Hawking. Stephen Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, exactly three hundred years after Galileo's death. He was born to parents Frank and Isobel Hawking in Oxford, England. Her parents lived in north London, but due to the Second World War, Oxford was considered a safer place to give birth. Around his eighth birthday, his family moved to St. Albans, a town about twenty miles north of London. He then began attending school in St. Albans, where he was about a middle student in the class. After graduating from St. Albans, he attended Oxford University. Stephen originally wanted to study mathematics at Oxford, but the course was not offered at the time. He then specialized in physics and, after three years of very little work, gained a first-class honors degree in natural sciences. A few years later, Stephen studied cosmology at the University of Cambridge. At Cambridge he met his future wife, Jane Wilde, who was attracted to his sense of humor. He then graduated with honors and is still with the college today, holding a position in the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. Just days after his twenty-first birthday, Stephen was diagnosed with ALS (ALS). lateral sclerosis). This disease causes motor neurons in the brain and spinal cord to slowly degenerate, resulting in significant loss of muscle movement and every... middle of paper ...... hey, I never found one. It does, however, give geniuses like Stephen Hawking something to think about and study every day. Hawking is also considered a very controversial figure due to his stated disbelief in religion. He has published numerous books on the creation of the universe, including The Grand Design. He is an avowed atheist and has never hidden this opinion from the public. It affects society by giving people a different view of religion and how the universe was created. Stephen Hawking lived a strained personal life due to all the challenges in his life. His first marriage to Jane Wilde ended in divorce in 1991. Hawking later married a former nurse and longtime friend, Elaine Mason, in 1995. However, the marriage ended bitterly in 2007. He is currently living in Cambridge, England, with several nurses. who helps him take care of himself.