Prof Hawking's opinion on human survival

This is inspiring yet realistic comments made by Prof Hawking.

Mankind will need to evacuate Earth and live in space to ensure the survival of humanity, Professor Stephen Hawking warned.

What's interesting is this bit.

The theoretical physicist said Star Trek-style rockets would be used to colonise suitable planets orbiting other stars.
Prof Hawking said matter/antimatter annihilation - similar to time warps - would enable huge distances to be covered quickly.

"There isn't anywhere like the Earth in the solar system, so we would have to go to another star."

He added: "My next goal is to go into space. Maybe Richard Branson will help me."

When, i suppose is the question as i think we all know we have to colonize.

news.sky.com...

I'm often dismayed to see how many people show a complete lack of interest in space. Most people can't seem to grasp how important space exploration and colinization actually is. It isn't just the survival of us, it's the legacy of everyone who has ever, and will ever, live. Some people are even so cynical as to think that humanity's invetible extinction (as a result of never leaving Earth) is a good thing.

I felt somewhat lost as a child on where I wanted to go. Even though I always had a passion for space and space exploration it never occured to me until a few months ago, while watching Carl Sagan's "Cosmos" that a career of somekind in the aerospace industry was what I wanted to do with my life. I'm not sure how sucessful I'll be but from a young age I've felt I needed to do something with my life to actually contribute not just to my family or my country but to the human race as a whole.

Hopefully, having China, India, and other countries vying for advanced space farring capabilities will propel our nation (and every nation) to reach farther and farther. With hard work we should be able to survive eslewhere in our solar-system and with the knowledge gained colonizing other bodies here we'll have gained the skills to reach out to other stars and someday perhaps even galaxies.

It'd be a crime against nature for us to go extinct. Especially when we've come so far and have such potential. Sometimes I think it's our duty as thinking pieces of the universe to do our very best to understand that-- and we certainly can't do that if we're all dead.

He is right, we do need to start colonizing space to survive
as a species.

Though I do have a few problems with some of what the
article says.

The theoretical physicist said Star Trek-style rockets would be used to colonize suitable planets orbiting other stars.
Prof Hawking said matter/antimatter annihilation - similar to time warps - would enable huge distances to be covered quickly

First of all they don't use rocket engines in StarTrek.

Secondly, we could create colonies throughout our own solar system,
we would'nt need to instantly start off towards other star systems,
though we should explore them, and eventually colonize them.

The third thing is that apart from being incredibly difficult to make,
anti-matter engines would'nt t create any time-warps.

Though I suppose they could be talking about the time slowing
down as you approach C.

yea we should i mean jus make space technology as out major goal because after the GAS is running out and Global Warming i mean c'mon now its far too late and we aint gonna make it normal like before so y not jus focus in space feild and check out other solar systems

Originally posted by da king
yea we should i mean jus make space technology as out major goal because after the GAS is running out and Global Warming i mean c'mon now its far too late and we aint gonna make it normal like before so y not jus focus in space feild and check out other solar systems

What?






(Willing to take 20 point penalty for one liner)

Originally posted by iori_komei
First of all they don't use rocket engines in StarTrek.

Secondly, we could create colonies throughout our own solar system,
we would'nt need to instantly start off towards other star systems,
though we should explore them, and eventually colonize them.

The third thing is that apart from being incredibly difficult to make,
anti-matter engines would'nt t create any time-warps.

Though I suppose they could be talking about the time slowing
down as you approach C.

I agree, we should colonize space ASAP.

Anti-matter/matter annihilation wouldnt, by itself, cause a time warp. However, it may provide enough power, once we figure out how to warp space-time.

The key for exotic space flight lies in gravity. It is the only force known powerful enough to warp space-time.

Originally posted by iori_komei
Though I do have a few problems with some of what the
article says.

I have a feeling Prof. Hawking may have been misquoted slightly, or misunderstood. Not about the basic premise but about details like Star Trek 'rockets'. As for 'timewarps', whatever they may be, and matter/antimatter drives, this is Stephen Hawking, after all. He knows more about that kind of stuff than pretty much anyone else alive today, so maybe we shouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

And he's right. We need to get beyond this planet as fast as possible. All our eggs in one basket just ain't good.

I have a feeling Prof. Hawking may have been misquoted slightly, or misunderstood. Not about the basic premise but about details like Star Trek 'rockets'. As for 'timewarps', whatever they may be, and matter/antimatter drives, this is Stephen Hawking, after all. He knows more about that kind of stuff than pretty much anyone else alive today, so maybe we shouldn't dismiss it out of hand.

Most definitely, i don't think he understood star trek, he couldn't or other wise he would of mentioned warp speed drives!!!

But your right, this man does know what he is saying.

Originally posted by Denied
Most definitely, i don't think he understood star trek, he couldn't or other wise he would of mentioned warp speed drives!!!

But your right, this man does know what he is saying.

He understands the technology in Star Trek, a semi-famous
thing he did once, when he was making a guest appearance
as himself on Star Trek: TNG, he than pointed up at the model
warp drive and said "thats what I'm working on".

Point is, the people did'nt understand him.

I would love to get Hawking into space.

That guy has the whole universe in his head and after all he has contributed to the scientific community, he should be top of the list for going up in those shuttles, not some bloody space tourist.

Let's start the 'Get Hawking to Space Fund'!


Hawking, you're a top guy!

Originally posted by XphilesPhan

Originally posted by iori_komei
First of all they don't use rocket engines in StarTrek.

Secondly, we could create colonies throughout our own solar system,
we would'nt need to instantly start off towards other star systems,
though we should explore them, and eventually colonize them.

The third thing is that apart from being incredibly difficult to make,
anti-matter engines would'nt t create any time-warps.

Though I suppose they could be talking about the time slowing
down as you approach C.

I agree, we should colonize space ASAP.

Anti-matter/matter annihilation wouldnt, by itself, cause a time warp. However, it may provide enough power, once we figure out how to warp space-time.

The key for exotic space flight lies in gravity. It is the only force known powerful enough to warp space-time.

From what I have studied, the four fundamental forces we know today have vastly different strengths, and affect diffent particles. Gravity, by far the weakest, influences all particles, while the most powerful, the 'strong force' works only inside the nucleaus of atoms

Originally posted by iori_komei
Secondly, we could create colonies throughout our own solar system,
we would'nt need to instantly start off towards other star systems,
though we should explore them, and eventually colonize them.

I suspect he thinks there will be a need to move a large number of people relatively soon. If that is the case, there is nowhere locally that would be a practical solution. If we develop the transport technology before we can terraform or build worldships, our best option for survival of the species would be to seek out existing compatible planets.

Originally posted by apc

Originally posted by iori_komei
Secondly, we could create colonies throughout our own solar system,
we would'nt need to instantly start off towards other star systems,
though we should explore them, and eventually colonize them.

I suspect he thinks there will be a need to move a large number of people relatively soon. If that is the case, there is nowhere locally that would be a practical solution. If we develop the transport technology before we can terraform or build worldships, our best option for survival of the species would be to seek out existing compatible planets.

Well if that's the case, I suggest Delta Pavonis be the target system.

I wonder what star system Hawking thinks we should go to.

stephen H has been my hero since i can remember.
the only one statement he has ever said was something of the tune of "wit isn't true intelligence.
but i still love that guy anyway. if i could live for only a moment in his mind...