Stephen Hawking, PhD thesis and wheelchair for sale at online auction | Science

Personal belongings owned by Stephen Hawking, including his medals and one of his wheelchairs, must be sold at an online auction.

The British physicist, better known for his research on black holes, died in March at the age of 76. .

The auction, hosted by Christie's, is called On the Shoulders of the Giants and features 22 Hawking-owned items, as well as manuscripts by Isaac Newton, Charles Darwin, and Albert Einstein. .

Personal copies of Hawking's most important documents, such as his 1974 exploits, Black Hole Explosions? a copy of his best-seller A brief history of time, signed thumbprint; a bomber jacket; and the scenario of one of his appearances in The Simpsons.

Proceeds from the sale of the wheelchair will go to the Stephen Hawking Foundation and the Motor Neurone Disease Association. Hawking, who used a wheelchair for most of his life and an electronic vocal synthesizer, was suffering from a motor neuron disease.

It is estimated that the jacket will earn £ 100, while one of the five known copies of Hawking's doctoral dissertation is expected to reach £ 150,000.

Lucy Hawking, her daughter, said, "We are very pleased to have the help of Christie's to help us manage the important task of managing our father's records. beloved and his unique and valuable collection of personal and professional items, describing his life and work. "

She said that she was hoping to donate the rest of her father's scientific work, to archive and pbad on to the nation the acceptance system in lieu, where items of interest national, historical, artistic and scientific may be transferred to public property to settle inheritance tax bills.

Thomas Venning, head of the department of books and manuscripts at Christie's in London, said: " Working on this selection of estate objects from one of the brightest minds of the last half of the century has been a great privilege for Christie's entury. value the remarkable scientific achievements of Professor Hawking, as well as his unique personality and inspiring story. "