STEPHEN HAWKING IS a smart guy, we can all agree on that, so when he said this week that space exploration was essential for humanity, the world sat up and listened.

Essentially, he said that he didn’t believe humankind could survive another thousand years on Earth, which he referred to as ‘our fragile planet’.

Yikes.

Stephen Hawking isn’t just an intelligent man of course, he is a bit of a marvel.  At 71, he’s been living with ALS, or Lou Gehrig’s Disease, for fifty years.  Most people with the condition don’t survive with it for longer than a decade.

There are so many reasons to admire him.  Here are 8.

He wore a suit with aplomb when he was a kid

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He wrote this children's book with his daughter

He looked like a total hipster on his wedding day

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His smile is contagious

Especially while experiencing zero gravity.

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He enjoys a fruity drink while on holidays like the rest of us

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He is gas, and not opposed to having the craic on telly

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During his appearance on Star Trek: The Next Generation, he asked to sit in Captain Picard's seat on the bridge.  They said yes of course.

He believes in the possibility of aliens

In 2008 he said that he believed there could be intelligent life in elsewhere in the universe.  He added, "Primitive life is very common, and intelligent life is very rare. Some would say it has yet to occur on Earth."

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He lost a bet on the Higgs Boson

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Stephen Hawking: We must explore space to ensure human survival>

Orbital hung out with Stephen Hawking at the Paralympics opening ceremony>