Stephen Hawking, the genius physicist, and philosopher who authored the best-selling A Brief History of Time was buried at Westminster Abbey between two other great scientific minds, Charles Darwin and Isaac Newton.
Hawking passed away in March, succumbing to the complications of motor neuron disease at the age of 76 despite only given a few years to live when he was diagnosed with the condition at 22.
Stephen Hawking Buried Next To Darwin And Newton
The ashes of Stephen Hawking was buried on June 15 in the Scientists' Corner of Westminster Abbey in London, between the final resting places of Charles Darwin, the father of evolution, and Isaac Newton, one of the fathers of modern physics.
Hawking's place in Westminster Abbey displays a stone that says, "Here lies what was mortal of Stephen Hawking," which is the English translation of the Latin words displayed in Newton's grave. One of the equations devised by Hawking, describing the entropy of black holes, was also inscribed on his stone.
Thousands of people attended the Stephen Hawking memorial service, which was also open to time travelers. Among the guests were British Culture Secretary Matt Hancock, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, actress Lily Cole, talk show host Piers Morgan, Chic guitarist Nile Rogers, comedian David Walliams, and 1,000 members of the public who were selected from 25,000 applications through a lottery.
"His name will live in the annals of science," said Astronomer Royal Martin Rees at the memorial service. "Nobody else since Einstein has done more to deepen our understanding of space and time."
Other people who spoke at Hawking's internment include actor Benedict Cumberbatch, who portrayed Hawking in a TV show; Hawking's daughter Lucy; astronaut Tim Peake, who read from Percy Bysshe Shelley's Queen Mab; and Nobel Prize winner Kip Thorne, who described Hawking as "the most stubborn friend" that he has ever had.
Stephen Hawking's Voice Beamed To Space
Hawking will forever be remembered through his contributions to modern science, not just in Earth but also in space. After the service ended, a recording of Hawking's voice was beamed to space specifically to the closest black hole to Earth, which is over 3,000 light-years away.
Hawking's message, according to his daughter Lucy, was one of peace and hope and will be accompanied by original music by Greek composer Vangelis.
Brief Answers to the Big Question, the last book of Hawking, will be released in October 2018, which is another means to preserve the scientist's legacy.
