Colonise space or else face ‘extinction’

Stephen Hawking aliens

Stephen Hawking says to a mathematician, the possibility of alien life is
a “perfectly rational” concept / AP

Source: AP





MANKIND must look to colonize outer space within the next century or it will become extinct, renowned British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking warned the Big Think website yesterday.


Professor Hawking said the human race is entering an increasingly dangerous period of its history.

“Our population and our use of the finite resources of planet Earth, are growing exponentially, along with our technical ability to change the environment for good or ill,” he said.

“But our genetic code still carries the selfish and aggressive instincts that were of survival advantage in the past. It will be difficult enough to avoid disaster in the next hundred years, let alone the next thousand or million.

“Our only chance of long-term survival, is not to remain inward looking on planet Earth, but to spread out into space. We have made remarkable progress in the last hundred years. But if we want to continue beyond the next hundred years, our future is in space.”

Start of sidebar. Skip to end of sidebar.


Mars






End of sidebar. Return to start of sidebar.



Hawking cited the Cuban missile crisis in 1963 as one of many times in the past when mankind’s survival has been a question of touch and go. 

“The human race shouldn’t have all its eggs in one basket, or on one planet. Let’s hope we can avoid dropping the basket until we have spread the load,” he said.

Hawking’s comments come after he warned in April of the dangers of communicating with aliens.

He told the Discovery Channel that extra-terrestrials are almost certain to exist – and humanity should be wary of contact in case they are not friendly.

Hawking’s research and his best-seller “A Brief History of Time” have made him an academic celebrity and in 2009 he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the highest civilian award in the US.

The 68-year-old has neuro-muscular dystrophy, a condition that has left him almost completely paralyzed.

You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

Leave a Reply

Powered by WordPress | Designed by: Premium WordPress Themes | Thanks to Themes Gallery, Bromoney and Wordpress Themes