Mathematician Hawking 'Very Ill'

Cambridge University says famed mathematician Stephen Hawking was rushed to the hospital today and is "very ill." The university said Hawking had been fighting a chest infection for several weeks. Hawking, 67, gained fame for his work on black holes, and has remained active despite being stricken with motor neurone disease as a young man. For some years, Hawking has been almost entirely paralyzed, and he communicates through an electronic device activated by his fingers. (More Stephen Hawking stories.)