The World pays tribute to Stephen Hawking

Tributes have started to pour in for Stephen Hawking, the modern British physicist and author who has died aged 76.

💐Sir Tim Berners-Lee, founder of the world wide web, was one of the first to respond to news of his death, saying on Twitter: “We have lost a colossal mind and a wonderful spirit”.

💐NASA also tweeted, saying: “his theories unlocked the universe of possibilities that we & the world are exploring. May you keep flying like superman in microgravity.”

💐University of Cambridge vice-chancellor Professor Stephen Toope said Hawking was an inspiration to millions. “Professor Hawking was a unique individual who will be remembered with warmth and affection not only in Cambridge but all over the world. His exceptional contributions to scientific knowledge and the popularisation of science and mathematics have left an indelible legacy. His character was an inspiration to millions.”

💐The Planetary Society wrote: “farewell to a beautiful mind”, while astrophysicist Neil deGrasse Tyson shared a photo of himself and Hawking. “His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake,” he wrote.

💐Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Hawking had “made the world a better place. Professor Stephen Hawking was an outstanding scientist and academic. His grit and tenacity inspired people all over the world,” a tweet on his official page said.

💐Satya Nadella, the CEO of Microsoft, wrote: “we lost a great one today”.

💐Neil deGrasse Tyson wrote: "His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake. But it's not empty. Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy permeating the fabric of spacetime that defies measure. Stephen Hawking, RIP 1942-2018."