Early Life and Education Stephen William Hawking was born on January 8, 1942, in Oxford, England, a date that coincidentally marked the 300th anniversary of Galileo Galilei’s death. Born into a family of intellectuals, his father was a respected biologist, while his mother was active in politics. From an early age, Stephen demonstrated a prodigious talent for scientific inquiry, laying the foundation for his future as one of the most renowned physicists in history. Hawking’s educational journey began at St. Albans School, where he was an average student by conventional standards but excelled in mathematics and science. He later attended University College, Oxford, where he initially pursued physics, demonstrating a…