The new edition of Google Doodle marked the 80th birth anniversary of one of history’s most brilliant theoretical physicists, Stephen Hawking. 

Stephen William Hawking was born on this day in 1942 in Oxford, England. Right before his 21st birthday, he was diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disease, which eventually made him less mobile and caused a total loss of speech. A speech-generating device built at Cambridge and a software program, served as his electronic voice. It allowed Hawking to select his words by moving the muscles in his cheek.

The British cosmologist’s theories of the origins and mechanics of the universe, black holes, and the Big Bang, revolutionized modern physics and contributed immensely to how we understand the world and the universe.  

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The two and a half minute-long doodle, illustrated by Matthew Cruickshank, includes narration in the physicist’s own computer-generated voice outlining his work, including ‘Hawking radiation and envisioning a world of curiosity and human endeavour. 

He can be heard saying, “We are very very small. But we are profoundly capable of very very big things. There should be no boundary to human endeavour, no matter how bad life may seem.”

His daughter Lucy and sons, Robert and Tim Hawking, reflected on the doodle and their father’s life, “We are delighted that Google has chosen to celebrate our father’s 80th birthday with this fabulous Doodle. We think he would have loved the Doodle and been very entertained to see his long, distinguished life expressed so creatively in this briefest history of all, a two-minute animation!”

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“We also believe he would have found it important to show that he never allowed the challenges of his physical condition to limit his power of expression nor his determination to make an impact on the world in which he lived. We hope that his example offers inspiration and hope globally to all who face great challenges at this difficult time. Our father would have been 80 years old today and we thank everyone who has joined in the celebration of his extraordinary life and the legacy he gave to us all,” they added.

Hawking passed away in 2018, at the age of 76.