“For fellow scientists and loved ones, it was Hawking’s intuition and wicked sense of humour that marked him out as much as the fierce intellect that, coupled with his illness, came to symbolize the unbounded possibilities of the human mind.” From The Guardian: Stephen Hawking, science’s brightest star, dies aged 76. Even if you didn’t understand any of the science, you couldn’t help but be inspired by Hawking’s incredible mix of intelligence, fortitude, and determination. And the sense of humor was impressive as well, and maybe, as Hawking suggested, even necessary. “Life would be tragic if it weren’t funny.”

+ “Not since Albert Einstein has a scientist so captured the public imagination and endeared himself to tens of millions of people around the world.” NYT: His Mind Roamed the Cosmos.