How did the universe begin? What is a black hole? And what happens if you throw a party for time travellers...?

When Stephen Hawking was told at the age of twenty-one that he only had a few years to live, it made him more determined than ever to find out the answers to life's big questions.

Diagnosed with motor-neurone disease as a young man, Stephen defied the odds and lived to the age of 76 - and his scientific discoveries changed the world . . .

From building model aeroplanes as a child to travelling all over the globe and experiencing a zero-gravity flight, Stephen Hawking's life was extraordinary from beginning to end.

Extraordinary Lives is a bold new series about the lives of incredible historical and modern figures, full of narrative biography, timelines, fascinating facts and beautiful illustrations.