He is a very influential scientist. His books have captivated the minds of millions. His theories have baffled the minds of great thinkers. His discoveries break the laws that were thought to govern the universe. He is a man whose work has changed the way we see the universe, our galaxy, our solar system and our planet. His name is Stephen Hawking. He has written numerous books, attended two universities and is a renowned scientist. From his conception to the present day, Stephen Hawking has lived a very interesting life. Stephen William Hawking was born to Frank and Isobel Hawking on January 8, 1942 in Oxford, England. Incredibly, Hawking was born exactly 300 years after the death of the famous astronomer and first physicist Galileo Galilei, who died in 1642. As a child, Stephen led a normal life. He had loving parents and a beautiful home in which to grow up. When Stephen was 8 years old, he and his family moved to a small town named St. Albans. As an only child, Stephen did not socialize as much as most boys his age. So he spent his free time questioning things. All around young Stephen was a puzzle waiting to be solved. Stephen's young adulthood saw many accomplishments. In 1959, Stephen attended the famous University of Oxford, England. His main subject of interest was physics. As he showed great promise in the above-mentioned field, he completed his degree and went to the University of Cambridge in 1962 to obtain his doctorate. in cosmology. Cosmology is the study of planets, stars, the universe, and other non-terrestrial anomalies. This includes black holes. Their studies contain some of Hawking's most famous discoveries, documents and books. Hawking also studied theoretical physics. .Hawking, Stephen. “Stephen Hawking.” Stephen Hawking: The official website. Stephen Hawking. Internet. March 3, 2014. .NASA. “Who is Stephen Hawking?” physique.org. IOP Institute of Physics. Internet. March 3, 2014..“Webster’s Dictionary.” Online dictionary. Internet. March 4, 2014. dictionary.org>. Hawking, Stephane. “The computer”. Stephen Hawking: The official website. Stephen Hawking.Web. March 5 2014. .