Renowned British scientist Stephen Hawking, whose insights shaped modern cosmology, has died at the age of 76.  

Hawking was known for his work with black holes and relativity; he wrote several popular science books, including A Brief History of Time.

At the age of 22 Stephen Hawking was given only a few years to live after being diagnosed with a rare form of motor neurone disease. The illness left him in a wheelchair and unable to speak.