Stephen Hawking turns 70
British scientist Stephen Hawking has decoded some of the most puzzling mysteries of the universe. But he has left one mystery unsolved; how he’s managed to live so long with a debilitating disease?
He was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease, also known as ALS, when he was 21.
Most people die within a few years of the diagnosis, but this Sunday, Hawking will turn 70.
While it’s unusual for patients to survive for decades, it’s not unheard of.
Many longtime survivors need ventilators to breathe for them which Hawking does not.
To mark his birthday, Cambridge University is holding a public symposium on “The State of the Universe,” featuring talks from 27 leading scientists, including Hawking himself.
