Rock icons pay tribute to Stephen Hawking on social media

Foo Fighters, Alice Cooper, and Brian May are among those who have remembered the scientist.

The world lost an icon of creativity and intelligence this Wednesday, March 14th, with the death of Stephen William Hawking. The scientist's numerous works on physics and cosmology made him a hero to millions of people. He was 76 years old and died at his home in England.

He became one of the world's most renowned scientists by addressing topics such as the nature of gravity and the origin of the universe. He was also an example of determination for resisting amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a degenerative disease, for many years. The diagnosis came in 1963, when he was only 21 years old. The average life expectancy for those with the disease is three years, but he survived for 55.

The death was announced by the family to the English press. "We are deeply saddened by the death of our father today ," said his children Lucy, Robert, and Tim. "He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years ," they stated in a press release. The cause of death has not yet been released.

Among Hawking's thousands of fans are rock icons who used social media to pay tribute to the astrophysicist. Foo Fighters, Alice Cooper, and Brian May are some examples. See the posts below: