Answer at a glance
Stephen Hawking died at age 76 on 14 March 2018. He was born on 8 January 1942 and died on 14 March 2018 at his home in Cambridge, England. The age is calculated from his date of birth to his date of death, and this information is consistently reported by authoritative sources including his family office, Cambridge University, and major biographies. No conflicting age has been substantiated; available records converge on 76 years at death.
Life and career context
Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist and cosmologist best known for his work on black holes, Hawking radiation, and the interplay of quantum mechanics, relativity, and thermodynamics. Diagnosed with early-onset motor neuron disease (ALS) in his early twenties, he survived far longer than initially predicted and remained scientifically active for decades. His academic base was the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics at the University of Cambridge, where he held the position of Lucasian Professor of Mathematics from 1979 to 2009.
Confirmation and corroboration of age at death
The age of 76 at death is confirmed by multiple authoritative channels, including public statements from his family, official notices from Cambridge University, and widely cited obituaries in reputable scientific and general-interest publications. Death certificates, timestamps, and the internally consistent timeline across these records provide high confidence in the reported age. No credible conflicting claim has emerged regarding his age at death.
| Attribute | Verified Detail | Source Type |
|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 8 January 1942 | Official biographies and registries |
| Date of death | 14 March 2018 | Family notice and institutional announcement |
| Reported age at death | 76 years | Consistent across family, Cambridge, and biographies |
| Place of death | Cambridge, England | Family statement |
Key milestones relevant to Hawking’s timeline
- 1942: Born in Oxford, England, on 8 January.
- 1963: Symptoms of ALS appear while at Oxford.
- 1965: Marries Jane Wilde and completes PhD.
- 1974: Elected Fellow of the Royal Society; work on Hawking radiation published.
- 1979: Appointed Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at Cambridge.
- 1988: Publishes “A Brief History of Time,” reaching a broad global audience.
- 2018: Dies on 14 March at age 76 in Cambridge.
Context on longevity with ALS
Hawking lived with ALS for approximately 55 years following symptom onset in the early 1960s. Typical ALS prognosis was much shorter at the time, but his case was unusual in its slow progression. Medical experts note that factors such as young age at onset, a subtype with primarily limb onset, robust care, and advances in respiratory support likely contributed to extended survival. His experience remains an outlier, and general survival estimates for ALS cannot be inferred from his case.
Public influence and scientific legacy
Hawking became a global science communicator through television, lectures, and his accessible book “A Brief History of Time.” He contributed to singularity theorems, black hole thermodynamics, and quantum cosmology, and engaged with public discourse on AI, space exploration, and existential risk. Awards and honors include the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Copley Medal, and namesake features such as the Hawking radiation theoretical model and minor celestial bodies. His net worth during his lifetime was modest, supported by academic salary, book royalties, and media appearances.
Common questions and clarifications
Because public interest remains high, several points recur: he did not develop ALS as a young adult; he married twice and had three children; and his communication relied heavily on a speech-generating device after tracheotomy. Questions about the exact financial legacy or nuanced differences between his popular and technical work tend to arise, but consensus among biographies and institutional statements affirms the basic timeline and age reported here.
Why this information remains reliable over time
This topic is evergreen because of sustained public interest in science figures. The core factual anchors—birth date, death date, and age—are documented in official records and unlikely to change. New speculation or reinterpretation does not meaningfully alter these facts. As a result, explanations of his lifespan and career remain stable reference points for audiences encountering his work now and in the future.