306. STEPHEN HAWKING: HUMANS MUST GO INTO SPACE

It's nice to see one of the greatest minds on the planet in full agreement with one of the main contentions of this blog: that humans must grow into space. The endless energy/material resources of space will allow humans to continue exponential growth into the solar system and beyond, and dodge the problems posed by exhaustion of terrestrial resources.

Dr. Hawking:

Hawking says humans must go into space
Predicts increased risk of disaster that will destroy our planet

Updated: 11:03 a.m. ET June 13, 2006

HONG KONG - The survival of the human race depends on its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe because there's an increasing risk that a disaster will destroy the Earth, world-renowned scientist Stephen Hawking said Tuesday.

The British astrophysicist told a news conference in Hong Kong that humans could have a permanent base on the moon in 20 years and a colony on Mars in the next 40 years.

"We won't find anywhere as nice as Earth unless we go to another star system," added Hawking, who arrived to a rock star's welcome Monday. Tickets for his lecture planned for Wednesday were sold out.

He added that if humans can avoid killing themselves in the next 100 years, they should have space settlements that can continue without support from Earth.

"It is important for the human race to spread out into space for the survival of the species," Hawking said. "Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of."Source

-- by JD

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Numerous articles on harvesting energy and resources from space are available on the sidebar under "Popular Content". See #2, #5, #51, #104, #191 and #223.