YEREVAN, APRIL 26, ARMENPRESS. A book signed by the late scientist Stephen Hawking, one of the world's most famous physicists, went up for auction with a bidding price of 28,000$, Fox News reported.

The book, ''The Archaeology of the Industrial Revolution'," was signed by Hawking in 1973, shortly before he was physically unable to write his name due to ALS, commonly known as Lou Gehrig's Disease.

Below Hawking's signature is the inscription: ''With gratitude and best wishes from the friends of the IOA computer staff.''

Stephen William Hawking was an English theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author, and director of research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology at the University of Cambridge.

Hawking was the first to set out a theory of cosmology explained by a union of the general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. He was a vigorous supporter of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics

Hawking had a rare early-onset slow-progressing form of motor neurone disease (also known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis"ALS" or Lou Gehrig's disease) that gradually paralysed him over the decades. Even after the loss of his speech, he was still able to communicate through a speech-generating device, initially through use of a hand-held switch, and eventually by using a single cheek muscle. He died on 14 March 2018 at the age of 76

English –translator/editor: Stepan Kocharyan