Stephen Hawking, physicist, dead at 76

LONDON: Renowned British physicist Stephen Hawking, whose mental genius and physical disability made him a household name and inspiration across the globe, has died at age 76, his family said on Wednesday.

Propelled to superstardom by his 1988 book “A Brief History of Time,” which became an unlikely worldwide bestseller, Hawking dedicated his life to unlocking the secrets of the Universe.