5 Stephen Hawking clips that'll make you just a little bit smarter

When Stephen Hawking passed away early Wednesday morning, he left behind a legacy of service to the scientific community through his extensive research and landmark achievements, and to the global community through his embrace of public talks and his frequent willingness to partake in pop culture.

Through his books, talks, and interviews, Hawking made his findings more accessible to those outside of the academic community, bringing science into homes around the world.

We've picked five Hawking clips from the theoretical physicist's more recent appearances (plus a delightful, One Direction-adjacent bonus) that'll make you just a little bit smarter after you've watched them.

1. His 2008 TED Talk, where he ponders big picture questions like, "Are we alone in the universe?" and "What is the future of the human race?"

2. Hawking on black holes in 2015

3. Hawking on the value of sharing science with the public, and how science writing, television, and the internet can help make this possible

4. Hawking on space exploration in a 2016 Ted Talk

5. Hawking's 2014 interview with John Oliver for HBO's Last Week Tonight

Delightful, just-for-fun bonus: