When the famous theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking was first diagnosed with ALS at the ripe age of 21, he was given only a few years to live.

Fifty five years later, the world has lost not only one of the greatest minds of our age, but also an inspiring man with a great sense of humour.

Most people's passion, ambition and comedy would crumble in the face of a degenerative disorder, but Stephen Hawking was not most people.

When asked by The Radio Times what inspires him to keep going, the renowned physicist replied, "My work and a sense of humour."

"It's also important not to become angry, no matter how difficult life is, because you can lose all hope if you can't laugh at yourself and at life in general," he added.

True to his word, throughout his long life, Hawking continued to blow our minds with his exploration of the complexity of the universe – all the while making us laugh and reminding us that even the smartest among us are still human.

1. That time he burned John Oliver on his own show.

2. That time he shared a beer with Homer Simpson.

3. That time he took Sheldon Cooper down a notch.

4. That time he schooled Paul Rudd in a game of chess.

5. That time he sang the Monty Python Galaxy Song while running over Brian Cox.

Through thick and thin, Hawking was always there to remind us: "Life would be tragic if it weren't funny."