 When Hawking's passed away in 2018, his cozy three-bedroom flat in Cambridge came up for sale at £665,000. Famous scientists who were a brief history of time lived in this ground floor apartment near the Cambridge City Centre during their early 90s. Inside the home offered a good amount of space in a neutral colour scheme as well as two bathrooms, a private terrace and beautifully landscaped gardens outside. Hawking was diagnosed with the condition in 1963 when he was 21. He defined medical experts who said he would be dead within two years. Hawking's moved into this home with his new girlfriend, nurse after leaving his wife and mother of his three children, Jane. Despite facing the challenges brought about by his ALS diagnosis, Hawking's personal life reflected was still full of a warm family life and a profound connection with his loved ones. Hey everyone, it's Kara and if you want to see more of what I've been up to in my free time, check out my new DIY account, FixedItWithKara. I would love to connect with you all on there. Renowned theoretical physicist, cosmologist and author of a brief history of time, Stephen Hawking was born in 1942 in Oxford, England. Hawking demonstrated an early interest in the mysteries of the universe. Diagnosed with emotrophic lateral sclerosis ALS at the age of 21, he faced a progressive paralysis of his body but refused to let it get in the way of his academic pursuits. Hawking completed his PhD in theoretical physics at the University of Cambridge, where he later became the Lucation Professor of Mathematics, a position once held by Sir Isaac Newton. Though it's pretty important, Hawking's groundbreaking work on black holes, Hawking radiation and the nature of the universe earned him numerous awards and honors, including the prestigious Albert Einstein Award and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Despite his physical limitations, Hawking maintained a healthy home and family life away from academics. Hawking enjoyed traveling to various parts of the world to share his knowledge and engage with fellow scientists and enthusiasts. His lover music, particularly classical and jazz, was clear as he attended plenty of concerts and shows as well. Despite Hawking's success, he was known for being frugal in many aspects of his life. He did recognize the importance of investing in cutting-edge technology to support his communication needs. This includes his iconic voice synthesizer, which allowed him to actually communicate despite his physical limitations. But I think the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race. And that was certainly not cheap. Hawking also channeled his influence and resources into plenty of charitable endeavors. He supported various organizations that were focused on scientific research, education and the welfare of people with disabilities. His dedication to making science accessible to the public was clear in his efforts to communicate complex ideas in a way that resonated with a broad audience. Despite his global fame, Hawking valued his personal relationships deeply. His first marriage to Jane Wilde, with whom he had three children, provided support during the early years of his illness. They met during his time at the University of Cambridge and Jane's support played a crucial role in helping Hawking navigate the physical and emotional hurdles presented by ALS. Later in life, he married Elaine Mason, his nurse, but the relationship faced challenges and ultimately ended in divorce. Before we look at one of the homes Stephen lived in during his adult life, let's check out where he grew up. Hawking grew up in a bright Victorian home in the area of St. Albans, having moved there from Highgate London at the age of eight. A few years ago, this very residence popped up on the market for 2.55 million pounds. Hawking's childhood home, with its red brick exterior, dates back to 1888. The front entry is framed by a stained glass replica of a tapestry by Edward Byrne Jones, which hangs in Exeter College, Oxford. Hawking himself went on to complete his undergraduate degree at Oxford University, where he said he found the work ridiculously easy and did just an hour of work a day, just like both of his parents had. Hawking's had said that his bookish and artistic parents, who were medical researchers, were considered highly eccentric by the standards of the locals. Hawking's childhood home was spacious, with seven double bedrooms, offering plenty of room for Hawking, his two younger sisters, and his adopted brother. Elsewhere, there is a separate study and an art studio. The landing, which is lit by a lantern window, leads to a sitting room and kitchen with a range cooker. Outside the home, there was a bicycle store and a garden with flower beds and trees. The property is close to many excellent schools, including St. Albans School, one of the oldest public schools in Britain, where Hawking attended. Now let's see a home that Stephen lived in later on in life, a three-bedroom flat located in Cambridge that came up on the market in 2018 for 665,000 pounds. This notable residence was called the Oast House in Pine herself, located near Cambridge City Centre. Stories of Hawking's time in this home include those about his interactions with his neighbors and his unique responses to challenges. Hawking's lived here from 1990 onwards for a handful of years and was the first to move into the ground floor flat as the building was newly built at the time. He set up home here with his nurse and girlfriend after leaving his wife and mother of his three kids, Jane. Cambridge is a university city in England and it's most famous for the University of Cambridge, which was founded in 1209 and consistently ranks among the best universities in the world. Hawking's ground floor apartment underwent modifications to accommodate his disability. This included adjusting the angle of the video entrance system screen for wheelchair accessibility. A brass plate was fixed to the bottom of the front door to prevent wheelchair-related knocks and scrapes and Hawking's preference for oak flooring in the dining room remains intact. During his time living here, Hawking utilizes study converted from an ensuite bedroom to publish a collected edition of his articles on black holes and the Big Bang. The property features a spacious reception area, a new kitchen, two updated bathrooms and a courtyard style entrance with gated access. Additionally, it comes with a garage, terraces and off-street parking. This spacious flat had a neutral color scheme throughout most of the rooms as well as a vanity unit in one of the bathrooms while the other boasted a large shower stall. The communal grounds around the flat have beautiful gardens with various trees, shrubs and flowers. Hawking still continued engaging with public while living here in a film adaptation of his book A Brief History of Time produced by Steven Spielberg and Errol Morris, premiered in 1992. Before moving out in 2000, Hawking commissioned the construction of a distinctive new chalet-style house nearby designed by local architect Stefan Sins, which is where he moved to. After Hawking passed away, a story was shared about his time in this very apartment in the Times. The story was as follows. There was a professor living above Steven's apartment who was very serious and strict. He didn't like that Steven had a small barbecue on his terrace and wrote a letter complaining about it. Steven ignored the letter. Professors sent more letters listing the rules that he thought that Steven was breaking. After several complaints, the professor wrote a letter saying, I'm a professor of mathematics, like you. I'm based in the same department as you. I'm a member of the same college as you. I live in the same block as you. Surely you know who I am. Steven simply replied with no through his assistant, the unhappy professor while he moved out soon after. After exploring the late Steven Hawking's family and home life, we can see a well-rounded individual whose brilliance extended beyond his scientific achievements. Hawking never allowed his ALS diagnosis to slow him down and when he wasn't busy with his studies, he chose to nurture the relationships in his life. While that wraps up today's video, answer this question before you go. What do you think was Hawking's most significant contribution to our world today and why? Let me know in the comments below. Don't forget to hit subscribe and turn on your notifications so you never miss a video. 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