(CNN) Figures from the scientific community and beyond came together to mark the passing of famed physicist Stephen Hawking, who died at age 76 on Wednesday, the same day as Albert Einstein's birthday, also known as "Pi day."
The academic, author and noted scientist brought his complex theories to a wide audience through his bestselling book, "A Brief History of Time."
"He was a great scientist and an extraordinary man whose work and legacy will live on for many years," his three children, Lucy, Robert and Tim, said in a joint statement.
"His courage and persistence, with his brilliance and humor, inspired people across the world. He once said, 'It would not be much of a universe if it wasn't home to the people you love.' We will miss him forever."
Neil deGrasse Tyson, another scientist who has made great strides in popularizing the field among the wider public, paid tribute to the Cambridge academic with a typically tongue-in-cheek physics joke.
"His passing has left an intellectual vacuum in his wake," the astrophysicist wrote on Twitter.
"But it's not empty. Think of it as a kind of vacuum energy permeating the fabric of spacetime that defies measure. Stephen Hawking, RIP 1942-2018."
'May you keep flying like superman'
NASA's official Twitter account marked his death with a moving tribute.
"Remembering Stephen Hawking, a renowned physicist and ambassador of science. His theories unlocked a universe of possibilities that we & the world are exploring," it said.
"May you keep flying like superman in microgravity, as you said to astronauts on @Space_Station in 2014."
The European Space Agency wrote of how Hawking "showed us there are no limits to achieving our dreams" alongside a photograph of the physicist enjoying the weightlessness of a zero-gravity flight in 2007.
World and industry leaders also noted his passing. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted his condolences.
"Professor Stephen Hawking was an outstanding scientist and academic. His grit and tenacity inspired people all over the world. His demise is anguishing. Professor Hawking's pioneering work made our world a better place. May his soul rest in peace."
China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs also offered a salute to Hawking, with spokesperson Lu Kang recalling the time the physicist "once insisted and finally realized his desire to ascend to the Great Wall with the help of an assistant."
Google CEO Sundar Pichai simply wrote: "The world has lost a beautiful mind and a brilliant scientist. RIP Stephen Hawking."
'God bless you and RIP'
Former colleagues from the world of academia and research also posted memories of Hawking.
Egyptologist and "space archaeologist" Sarah Parcak recalled how one encounter between the two almost came to a messy end.
"I nearly killed him, and he me, 15 years ago, when his wheelchair shot out between two parked cars at Cambridge, and I was on my bike," she tweeted. "I swerved at the last moment. 100% his fault. God bless you and RIP."
David Wands, director of the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation at the University of Portsmouth in southern England and former student at Cambridge, recalled how crowds turned out to listen to Hawking lecture.
"He was a huge inspiration to me personally when I was a student at Cambridge," Wands said. "At the time he was just writing the first draft of his book 'A Brief History of Time' and he gave a series of lectures for undergraduates. The lectures were optional, not part of any exam, but we turned out in droves to hear him speak. Sitting on the steps in the lecture theater to hear the words of the great man."
People we lost in 2018
Actress
Penny Marshall, who found fame in TV's "Laverne & Shirley" before going on to direct such beloved films as "Big" and "A League of Their Own," died on Monday, December 17. She was 75.
George Herbert Walker Bush, the 41st President of the United States and the patriarch of one of America's dominant political dynasties, died November 30 at the age of 94.
Stephen Hillenburg, the creator of the animated show "SpongeBob Squarepants," died November 26 following a battle with the neurodegenerative disease ALS. He was 57.
Bernardo Bertolucci, the Oscar-winning filmmaker who directed "Last Tango in Paris" and "The Last Emperor," died November 26 following a battle with cancer, Italian officials confirmed. He was 77.
British film director
Nicolas Roeg died November 23 at the age of 90, his family told the UK's Press Association. Initially a cinematographer, Roeg went on to direct such influential films as "Performance" with Mick Jagger, "Don't Look Now" with Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland, and "The Man Who Fell to Earth" with David Bowie.
Bob McNair, the founder and longtime owner of the NFL's Houston Texans, died November 23, after a long battle with cancer, a team spokeswoman said. He was 81.
Roy Clark, a country music star and former host of the long-running TV series "Hee Haw," died November 15, his publicist told CNN. He was 85.
Stan Lee, the colorful Marvel Comics patriarch who helped usher in a new era of superhero storytelling -- and saw his creations become a giant influence in the movie business -- died November 12 at the age of 95.
Billionaire
Paul Allen, the Microsoft co-founder, died on October 15, according to his investment firm Vulcan. Allen also owned two professional sports teams, NFL's Seattle Seahawks and the NBA's Portland Trail Blazers. He was 65.
Arthur Mitchell, co-founder of the Dance Theatre of Harlem, died on September 19, according to the theater's Facebook page. He was 84.
Mac Miller, a rapper and producer who began his rise in the music industry in his late teens, died September 7, his attorney David Byrnes told the Washington Post. He was 26. Miller died from
"mixed drug toxicity," according to the Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner-Coroner.
Actor
Burt Reynolds, whose easygoing charms and handsome looks drew prominent roles in films such as "Smokey and the Bandit" and "Boogie Nights," died on September 6. He was 82.
Neil Simon, the playwright and screenwriter whose indestructible comedies -- including "The Odd Couple," "Barefoot in the Park," "The Sunshine Boys" and "Brighton Beach Memoirs" -- made him one of the most successful writers in American history, died on August 26. He was 91.
John McCain, a Vietnam War hero who served in the US Senate for more than 30 years and ran for president twice, died August 25 at the age of 81. McCain, a conservative maverick, won the Republican nomination in 2008 but lost to Barack Obama. He continued to serve in Congress after being diagnosed with brain cancer last year.
Kyle Pavone, a vocalist for the rock band We Came as Romans, died August 25, according to a statement on the band's Twitter account. He was 28.
Robin Leach, the debonair TV host who regaled audiences with talk of "champagne wishes and caviar dreams," died August 24, his publicist confirmed to CNN. He was 76.
Retired guitarist
Ed King, who co-wrote the Lynyrd Skynyrd hit "Sweet Home Alabama," the tune with the classic riff that became a Southern rock anthem, died on August 23, his Facebook page said. The post did not include a cause of death or King's age.
Kofi Annan, the first black African to lead the United Nations, died August 18 at the age of 80. He served as the UN's Secretary-General from 1997 to 2006. His efforts to secure a more peaceful world brought him and the UN the Nobel Peace Prize in 2001.
Aretha Franklin, whose gospel-rooted singing and bluesy yet expansive delivery earned her the title "the Queen of Soul," died August 16, a family statement said. She was 76.
Charlotte Rae, a gregarious actress with a prodigious career on stage, screen and TV, died August 5 at the age of 92, her son Larry Strauss told CNN. She is best known for her role as housekeeper Edna Garrett, first on the sitcom "Diff'rent Strokes" and then the spinoff "The Facts of Life."
Adrian Cronauer, the former American airman whose radio show provided the inspiration for Robin Williams' character in "Good Morning, Vietnam," died on July 18, according to his family. He was 79.
Tab Hunter, who rose to fame as a Hollywood heartthrob in the 1950s, died July 8, his partner Allan Glaser confirmed to CNN. He was 86.
Alan Diaz, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his photograph of terrified Cuban boy Elian Gonzalez looking at an armed US agent, died at the age of 71, the Associated Press said on July 3.
Joe Jackson, the patriarch who launched the musical Jackson family dynasty, died at the age of 89, a source close to the family told CNN on June 27.
Vinnie Paul, drummer and founding member of the metal band Pantera, died at the age of 54, the band announced on Facebook on June 22.
Actor
Jackson Odell, 20, was found unresponsive at a home in Tarzana, California on June 8, the LA County Medical Examiner's Office said. An autopsy had not been performed, the office said. Odell played Ari Caldwell on the TV sitcom "The Goldbergs."
Danny Kirwan, a guitarist who appeared on five of Fleetwood Mac's albums, died in London on June 8, according to the band. He was 68.
Actress
Eunice Gayson, the first "Bond girl" in the James Bond movies, died June 8, according to her Twitter page. She was 90. Gayson played Sylvia Trench in "Dr. No" and "From Russia With Love."
The suicide of
Anthony Bourdain, the chef and gifted storyteller who took CNN viewers around the world, was confirmed by the network on June 8. He was 61.
Kate Brosnahan Spade, who created an iconic, accessible handbag line that bridged Main Street and high-end fashion, hanged herself in an apparent suicide June 5, according to New York Police Department sources. She was 55. Her company has retail shops and outlet stores all over the world.
Former San Francisco 49er
Dwight Clark died June 4 after a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS. He was 61. Clark was on the receiving end of one of the greatest plays in NFL history, forever known as "The Catch."
Actor
Jerry Maren, center, died May 24 due to complications from congestive heart failure, according to his family. Maren, 98, was the last surviving munchkin from "The Wizard of Oz."
Philip Roth, a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, died May 22 at the age of 85. Roth was one of America's most prolific and controversial 20th-century novelists, with a career that spanned decades and more than two dozen books.
Tom Wolfe, the innovative journalist and author who wrote such best-selling masterpieces as "The Bonfire of the Vanities" and "The Right Stuff, died on May 14 at the age of 87. Wolfe was known as a pioneer of a literary style that became known as New Journalism. It was a long-form of writing in which writers deeply immersed themselves in the subject they were writing about.
Margot Kidder, who played Lois Lane in the original 1978 "Superman" movie, died on May 13, her manager confirmed to CNN. Kidder was 69 years old.
Larry Harvey, the founder of the Burning Man festival, died April 28, according to Burning Man Project CEO Marian Goodell. He was 70. Burning Man is a multiday event dedicated to art and community, where attendees are asked to follow a set of rules that include the practice of "gifting."
Verne Troyer, an actor who played Mini-Me in two of the Austin Powers comedy films, died at the age of 49, according to statements posted to his social media accounts on April 21. "Verne was an extremely caring individual. He wanted to make everyone smile, be happy, and laugh," a statement posted to his social media said. No cause of death was immediately released.
Barbara Bush, the matriarch of a Republican political dynasty and a first lady who elevated the cause of literacy, died April 17, according to a statement from her husband's office. She was 92.
Harry Anderson, best known for playing Judge Harry Stone on TV's "Night Court," was found dead inside his home in Asheville, North Carolina, on April 16, according to police. He was 65.
R. Lee Ermey, an actor known for his Golden Globe-nominated role as an intimidating drill sergeant in "Full Metal Jacket," died April 15, according to a statement from his manager. Ermey was 74.
Steven Bochco, a producer whose boundary-pushing series like "Hill Street Blues" and "NYPD Blue" helped define the modern TV drama, died April 1 after a battle with leukemia. He was 74.
Linda Brown, who as a little girl was at the center of the US Supreme Court case that ended segregation in schools, died on March 25, a funeral home spokesman said. She was 75.
Stephen Hawking, the brilliant British physicist who overcame a debilitating disease to publish wildly popular books probing the mysteries of the universe, died on March 14. He was 76.
Fashion designer
Hubert de Givenchy, a pioneer in high-end ready-to-wear who was famous for styling Audrey Hepburn's little black dress in "Breakfast at Tiffany's," died at the age of 91, the House of Givenchy confirmed on March 12.
Evangelist Billy Graham -- a confidant to presidents, a guiding light to generations of American evangelicals and a globe-trotting preacher who converted millions to Christianity --
died February 21 at the age of 99, his spokesman confirmed to CNN.
British actress
Emma Chambers, who starred alongside Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts in the 1999 movie "Notting Hill," died on February 21, according to her agent. She was 53 years old.
Veteran Bollywood actress
Sridevi was found dead in a hotel bathtub on February 24. Police in the United Arab Emirates ruled out any suggestion of foul play, and
a forensics report said the 54-year-old died from "accidental drowning following loss of consciousness."
Actor
John Mahoney, known for his role as Martin Crane in the sitcom "Frasier," died February 4 after a brief hospitalization, according to his longtime manager, Paul Martino. The cause of death was not immediately announced. Mahoney was 77.
Dennis Edwards, the former lead singer for The Temptations whose gritty voice carried some of the biggest hits of the Motown era, died on February 1, according to his booking agent Rosiland Triche. He was 74.
Fantasy novelist
Ursula K. Le Guin died January 22, according to her son Theo Downes-Le Guin. She was 88. The acclaimed author penned everything from short stories to children's books, but she was best known for her work in the science fiction and fantasy realm. She is perhaps best known for her Earthsea series, beginning with "A Wizard of Earthsea" in 1968.
Connie Sawyer, who was the oldest working actress in Hollywood, died on January 21 at the age of 105, her daughter, Lisa Dudley, told CNN. The character actress appeared in multiple film and television projects over the years, including roles in "Archie Bunker's Place," "Will & Grace" and "When Harry Met Sally." More recently, she appeared as the mother of James Woods' character in the Showtime series "Ray Donovan."
Rapper
Fredo Santana died at his home on January 19, according to Lt. David Smith, a spokesman for the Los Angeles County Coroner's office. Santana was 27. Smith said the autopsy was pending. In October, Santana posted on his verified Instagram account that he was being treated for liver and kidney failure.
Dolores O'Riordan, lead singer of the Irish band The Cranberries, died in London on January 15, according to a statement from her publicist. She was 46. No details were immediately given on the cause of her death. The Cranberries rose to global fame in the mid-1990s with a string of hits, including "Linger," "Zombie" and "Dreams." The group has sold more than 40 million albums worldwide.
Keith Jackson, the sportscaster whose rich voice and distinctive phrasing endeared him to generations of college football fans, died January 12, ESPN said in a news release. He was 89.
Jerry Van Dyke, the younger brother of fellow comedian and actor Dick Van Dyke, died January 5 at his Arkansas ranch, his wife Shirley Ann Jones told CNN. He was 86. Jerry Van Dyke was known for several roles, most notably for playing the assistant football coach on the late '80s and '90s hit show "Coach," for which he earned four Emmy nominations. He also made appearances on his brother's classic sitcom "The Dick Van Dyke Show."
Former astronaut
John Young, a NASA trailblazer whose six journeys into space included a walk on the moon and the first space shuttle flight, died January 5 after complications from pneumonia, NASA said. He was 87.
Martin Rees, emeritus professor of cosmology and astrophysics at the University of Cambridge, met Hawking when they were both students in 1964.
"Astronomers are used to large numbers. But few numbers could be a large as the odds I'd have given, back in 1964 when Stephen received his 'death sentence,' against witnessing this uniquely inspiring crescendo of achievement sustained for more than 50 years," Rees said. "Few, if any, of Einstein's successors have done more to deepen our insights into gravity, space and time.
"His name will live in the annals of science; millions have had their cosmic horizons widened by his best-selling books; and even more, around the world, have been inspired by a unique example of achievement against all the odds -- a manifestation of amazing will power and determination," he added.
Humor 'as vast as the universe'
Stars across the globe also paid tribute to Hawking on Wednesday.
Eddie Redmayne, who won an Academy Award for his transformation into Hawking for the 2014 film "The Theory of Everything" said in a statement: "We have lost a truly beautiful mind, an astonishing scientist and the funniest man I have ever had the pleasure to meet. My love and thoughts are with his extraordinary family."
British actors Felicity Jones and Eddie Redmayne pose with Stephen Hawking at the UK premiere of the "The Theory of Everything" in London on December 9, 2014.
Singer Cher reminisced on Twitter about an "amazing" lunch the pair shared before adding "RIP Dear." And American Idol judge Katy Perry described the loss as "a big black hole in my heart hours before Pi day."
Oscar-nominated screenwriter and actor Kumail Nanjiani also hailed Hawking's work, posting: "RIP Stephen Hawking. Genuinely very sad to hear that. If you haven't, read A Brief History of Time. It'll make the world feel more amazing and beautiful and strange. it'll also make you feel smart and stupid all at once."
"Star Trek" star and LBGT icon George Takei noted on Twitter: "One of the greatest minds our species has ever produced is returned to the stars. It is a great loss to the scientific community, and a hero to so many more."
Hawking, who appeared on both "The Simpsons" and "Futurama," two Matt Groening animations that have regularly celebrated science, was known for his sense of humor. Long-time "Simpsons" showrunner Al Jean also posted a tribute to the physicist, noting that he had "a sense of humor as vast as the universe."
Hawking also made multiple appearances guest-starring as himself on the top-rated US nerd comedy "The Big Bang Theory," which posted a snap of the beloved physicist surrounded by the cast.
Huffington Post reporter Ashley Feinberg also recalled his sense of humor.
"One of my favorite things about Stephen Hawking is that he was mean to all the right people," she posted, along with text recounting how he would "enjoy running over the toes of people he didn't like" with his wheelchair, including an anecdote of allegedly doing exactly that to Prince Charles.
Citing a biography of the scientist, the passage added that "one of Hawking's regrets in life was not having an opportunity to run over (former British Prime Minister) Margaret Thatcher's toes."
'Huge inspiration'
Tanya Harrison, "professional Martian" and director of research at Arizona State University's Space Technology and Science Initiative, recalled what an inspiration Hawking was to her growing up, especially given his disability -- he suffered from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis for more than five decades.
"Absolutely heartbroken at the news of Stephen Hawking's passing. He was a huge inspiration to me as a teen when I was in and out of wheelchairs from my illness -- seeing him keeping on doing science kept me going."
The Planetary Society, referencing a famous quote from popular astrophysicist Carl Sagan, posted a photo of Hawking alongside society members. "Goodbye, Dr. Hawking. Thank you for sharing your beautiful mind with this pale blue dot," it said.
CNN's Serenitie Wang contributed to this report from Beijing.