Stephen Hawking Near Death

Professor Stephen Hawking, one of the world’s foremost physicists and the acclaimed author of “A Brief History of Time,” has been urgently admitted to hospital, Cambridge University said on Monday. Hawking, 67, who is wheelchair-bound and almost completely paralyzed by motor neurone disease, was taken by ambulance to a local hospital in Cambridge, where he teaches as a professor of applied mathematics and theoretical physics. “Professor Hawking is very ill and has been taken by ambulance to Addenbrooke’s Hospital,” the university said. – from Reuters

He announced last year that he would step down from his post as Lucasian Professor of Mathematics, a title once held by the great 18th-century physicist Isaac Newton. However, the university said Hawking intended to continue working as Emeritus Lucasian Professor of Mathematic. Hawking had canceled an appearance at Arizona State University on April 6 because of his illness. “Professor Hawking is a remarkable colleague. We all hope he will be amongst us again soon,” said Professor Peter Haynes, head of the university’s Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics. – from Chron