Professor Stephen Hawking’s words to be beamed into space

  • The physicist made many discoveries in physics, mathematics, and cosmology.
  • Hawking suffered for decades from ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig's disease.
  • A broadcast of his words is to be beamed to the nearest known black hole to earth.
Stephen Hawking gives a lecture on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife on September 23, 2014.
Desiree Martin | AFP | Getty Images
Stephen Hawking gives a lecture on the Spanish Canary island of Tenerife on September 23, 2014.

The voice of renowned physicist Stephen Hawking, who died in March, is to be beamed into space Friday, following a memorial service held at Westminster Abbey in London.

The European Space Agency (ESA) said the words will be transmitted toward the nearest known black hole to Earth, 1A 0620-00, from an antenna in Spain. Greek composer Vangelis, who wrote the score to films such as "Chariots of Fire" and "Blade Runner," has set the words to an original piece of music.

Ashes of the world-famous scientist are to be interred in Westminster Abbey, sited between the remains of fellow British scientific giants Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin. A memorial stone will also be set in place.

Alongside the family and their guests, 1,000 members of the public will attend the service following a ballot carried out by the Hawking Foundation.

Hawking, who was a professor at the University of Cambridge, made several discoveries in the field of physics, mathematics, and cosmology.

His better-known works involve black holes and the theory of relativity. He also wrote a number of popular science books, including "A Brief History of Time."

Hawking died at the age of 76 on March 14 after a decades-long battle with motor neurone disease.