Stephen Hawking was a theoretical physicist and cosmologist who made profound contributions to our understanding of the universe, particularly black holes and the Big Bang. In 1974, he made the startling prediction that black holes are not completely black but emit subatomic particles, now known as 'Hawking Radiation.' This discovery bridged the gap between general relativity and quantum mechanics. Hawking achieved global fame with his book 'A Brief History of Time,' which explained complex cosmology to a general audience. He lived for over 50 years with a slow-progressing form of motor neurone disease (ALS), communicating through a speech-generating device. His life was a remarkable triumph of the mind over physical disability, and his work on the 'Theory of Everything' continues to inspire physicists as they seek to unify the laws of the universe.