Stephen Hawking Warns of Alien Menace

[gturner]

THE aliens are out there and Earth had better watch out, at least according to Stephen Hawking. He has suggested that extraterrestrials are almost certain to exist — but that instead of seeking them out, humanity should be doing all it that can to avoid any contact.

<snip>

One scene in his documentary for the Discovery Channel shows herds of two-legged herbivores browsing on an alien cliff-face where they are picked off by flying, yellow lizard-like predators. Another shows glowing fluorescent aquatic animals forming vast shoals in the oceans thought to underlie the thick ice coating Europa, one of the moons of Jupiter.

Such scenes are speculative, but Hawking uses them to lead on to a serious point: that a few life forms could be intelligent and pose a threat. Hawking believes that contact with such a species could be devastating for humanity.

He suggests that aliens might simply raid Earth for its resources and then move on: “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach.”

He concludes that trying to make contact with alien races is “a little too risky”. He said: “If aliens ever visit us, I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn’t turn out very well for the Native Americans.”

Times Online article

I think it's time we beef up our planetary defenses.

What say you?

 

[scottydog]

I think there's some wisdom in what Hawking is saying. Sounds like he may have watched the Twilight Zone episode, "To Serve Man".

 

[KiraDax]

I applaud Professor Hawking for his common sense. I've always thought that us waving down any potential extraterrestrial life would kinda be akin to standing on a highway in the middle of nowhere and thumbing for a ride.

Most humans are selfish assholes, why do we really think the scales will weigh any differently with ETs?

 

[StarryEyed]

It sounds like Hawking is losing it. A species capable of interstellar travel is resource-poor? Yeah, right. There is limitless energy available from stars and equally-endless raw materials from asteroids. Need living space? Build O'Niel type space colonies.

 

[Docbrown777]

Just please make the defenses stronger then the Mars Defense Perimeter. Otherwise don't even try.

 

[Skywalker]

Just please make the defenses stronger then the Mars Defense Perimeter. Otherwise don't even try.

God help us if the only ship in range isn't named the Enterprise.

 

[sojourner]

I refer Dr. Hawking to Fermi's Paradox.

 

[MeanJoePhaser]

Just please make the defenses stronger then the Mars Defense Perimeter. Otherwise don't even try.

God help us if the only ship in range isn't named the Enterprise.

Or Voyager.

Hawking stay up late watching INDEPENDENCE DAY again?

"Now, that's what I call a close encounter!"

 

[Shatinator]

If this is indeed Professor Hawkings view, it saddens me and I am disappointed. To have such a fearful remark from such a enlighten man is a little surprising. While no one can argue the need for a defensive posture to protect our civilization from hostility. This statement seems more in line from that bar 'thug' from Enterprise’s "Home", where the man blamed the enterprise crew for flying around and telling all the hostiles where to find us. Really, is this what needs to be conveyed? Paranoia and isolationism will lead only to more repression of the human sprit and fascist domination of security minded zealots.

Adventure takes courage.

-The Shatinator

 

[gturner]

Exactly! We need to take the fight to them!

Hawking needs to get to work on a weapon that can implode an alien star and make it go nova. Others can work on the ships and delivery systems.

Strike them before they strike us!

The weak will perish!

 

[JiNX-01]

I think there's some wisdom in what Hawking is saying. Sounds like he may have watched the Twilight Zone episode, "To Serve Man".

I agree that it's just as likely we'd meet hostile, agressive aliens as it is we'd meet friendly Vulcans...

He suggests that aliens might simply raid Earth for its resources and then move on: “We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach.”

Sounds more to me like he's been watching "Independence Day."

 

[Maestro]

Healthy paranoia. Because, what if they are dangerous? What if they want to conquer and destroy? We should be prepared.

But then, remember the ending that EJO came up with for BSG... where the Colonials land on Earth between 2001-2009 only to have Bush nuke their ships?

We should also be prepared to be too dangerous ourselves.

 

[Defiant]

This seems a bit off for Hawking. If anyone can cross the vast distances of space to attack us, there's not a hell of a lot we could do about it. We've been radiating radio signals for a LONG time, so why wouldn't they already be here wiping us out?

It's like telling the Afghani tribesmen living in mud-huts to prepare their defences against a predator drone - or worse, an nuclear-tipped ICBM...

 

[TheGodBen]

Hawking stay up late watching INDEPENDENCE DAY again?

That was my first thought. I have no problem with the guy ripping off the plot from a film in order to get into the papers, but couldn't he have chosen something more current? Independence Day is 14 years old, Stephen! Go watch Avatar and write a crackpot theory about blue cat aliens, that will make the kids of today listen to you.

 

[gturner]

Don't despair, folks! If aliens do arrive their resources should be well depleted from the long journey to get here, and their supply lines would be stretched to the limit. So prudence would dictate that our first act should be a suprise nuclear attack on their ships. Even if we don't completely wipe them out, it will tell them that we aren't a species they want to mess with.

Advanced alien species are only peaceful when you've got a boot firmly planted on their throat. Only then can we negotiate rights to their drive and weapons technologies in return for some Britanny Spears CD's and an 8-track tape of Kiss.

 

[Capn Flukie]

Thanks Stevie!

 

[Skywalker]

Just please make the defenses stronger then the Mars Defense Perimeter. Otherwise don't even try.

God help us if the only ship in range isn't named the Enterprise.

Or Voyager.

No, no, if the only ship in range is named Voyager, we're definitely screwed. At least with an Enterprise we'd have a chance.

As long as the invasion happens after Tuesday.

 

[captcalhoun]

to paraphrase a certain CF Xavier, i feel a great swell of pity if anyone should come to this planet, looking for trouble.

 

[Deckerd]

Prof Hawking said that over 10 years ago. Either the Times or the OP are digging up old news.

 

[gturner]

That just means the alien fleet is ten years closer to Earth!