Stephen Hawking, the English scientist, cosmologist, theoretical physicist, and cryptowheelchairist has ceased to exist, it's been discovered.
Professor Hawking, 76, who had suffered with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) since he was 22, expired from causes which remain, as yet, 'unspecified'.
It cannot have failed to rouse attention in the worlds of science and mathematics, however, that Hawking has gone to the 'Big Black Hole in the Sky' on Pi Day which occurs on March 14 (3.14) every year.
Professor Hawking was born 300 years to the day after the death of Gallileo, himself a keen stargazer, and to go out on Pi Day, and only days after the death of his favourite comedian, Ken Dodd, is somewhat perplexing.
I, for one, am perplexed, anyway.
'A Brief History Of Time' will now sell out.
