Stephen Hawking's Ashes to Join Science Royalty Charles Darwin and Sir Isaac Newton

Stephen Hawking will be laid to rest with the greats of scientia. 

The ashes of Stephen Hawking will be interred in Westminster Abbey near the final resting places of some of the greatest minds that humankind has ever produced: Sir Isaac Newton and Charles Darwin.

London's Westminster Abbey is also home to the burial sites of 17 monarchs of Scottish, English and British royalty.

Sir Isaac Newton, who died in 1727, is known for his role in the scientific revolution and for discovering the Laws of Motion, which are still taught in schools today. Sir Newton also held the same position as Hawking at Cambridge University as a Lucasian Professor (around 350 years before him).

Focusing more on the field of biology, Charles Darwin, who died in 1882, is known for his theories surrounding natural selection and patterns of evolution. Similarly to Sir Newton, his theories are still widely accepted and taught in schools.

Hawking died last week at age 76 after he was diagnosed some 53 years earlier with motor neurone disease and given just two years to live. 

He will be remembered as one of the greatest scientists of all time for his incredible contributions to the fields of astrophysics and cosmology. 

And, of course, he's immeasurable wit.

Photo: YouTube (Popular Science)