Stephen Hawking died early Wednesday morning, March 14th, (π Day), in Cambridge, England. He was 76 years old. Although he suffered from ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) he was able to participate in civic life by virtue of the many devices designed to permit him to communicate and move around.  (h/t to AGD and Wonkette)

Here Stephen was a guest star in an episode of Star Trek : The Next Generation as a poker player along with Sir Isaac Newton and Albert Einstein in a holodeck experience of Lieutenant Commander Data.

 

This video displays Hawking’s whimsical but pointed sense of humor. He hosts a party for time travelers but the invitation has a twist.

 

And this video captures him experiencing zero gravity, courtesy of a reduced-gravity aircraft in 2007.  He obviously thoroughly enjoyed the experience.  His last words in this video now oddly resonate with new meaning: “Space, here I come”.

 

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