Stephen Hawking was: A scientist A genius An inspiration When Stephen Hawking was told at the age of twenty-one that he only had a few years to live, it made him more determined than ever to find out the answers to life's big questions. Diagnosed with motor-neurone disease as a young man, Stephen defied the odds and lived to the age of 76 - and his scientific discoveries changed the world. From building model aeroplanes as a child to travelling all over the globe and experiencing a zero-gravity flight, Stephen Hawking's life was extraordinary from beginning to end. Explore other extraordinary lives: The Extraordinary Life of Michelle Obama The Extraordinary Life of Malala Yousafzai The Extraordinary Life of Anne Frank The Extraordinary Life of Mahatma Gandhi The Extraordinary Life of Rosa Parks The Extraordinary Life of Serena Williams The Extraordinary Life of Nelson Mandela