London: Eminent professor and author Stephen Hawking, who has died aged 76, captured the public's imagination as a trapped mind exploring the boundaries of scientific knowledge.

Professor Stephen Hawking, whose brilliant mind ranged across time and space though his body was paralysed by disease, has died. Credit:AP

Here are some memorable pearls of wisdom from one of the world's most famous scientists:

- On the reason why the universe exists: "If we find the answer to that, it would be the ultimate triumph of human reason - for then we would know the mind of God." - A Brief History Of Time, published 1988.

- On being diagnosed with motor neuron disease: "My expectations were reduced to zero when I was 21. Everything since then has been a bonus." - Interview in The New York Times, December 2004.