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And the universe was very angry. Hawking worried that too many humans would consume too much energy and the Earth literally would burn up: “But the present exponential growth can not continue for the next millennium. By the year 2600 the world’s population would be standing shoulder to shoulder and the electricity consumption would make the Earth glow red hot.”

He was equally fearful of artificial intelligence, which he described as possibly the “worst event in the history of our civilization.” If humans or their machines weren’t the agents of our civilization’s demise, then Mother Nature would intervene, perhaps through an epidemic or asteroid strike. There were far too many rapacious humans on this planet, and celestial retribution would thin out the herd.

The trouble with his predictions is that none of them were rooted in scientific reality. Demographers reject the notion of overpopulation; epidemics, climate change, and artificial intelligence are potential challenges, but not a threat to the species; and Earth isn’t predicted to face an apocalyptic asteroid strike for at least millions of years.

It is a shame that Hawking spent his later years playing on people’s worst science-fiction fears. Despite this lamentable worldview, however, Hawking’s contribution to science and science communication will be remembered as among the greatest of all time. Few people can turn black holes into objects of fascination for children and adults alike.

Woolgathering of the worst kind, I'm afraid. Such alarmist, negative, and possibly harmful speculations came from somebody who had the authority of past genius and the overcoming of severe handicaps. (Kind of like Kerry claiming authority because he had been to Vietnam)

Too bad, because I liked some of his early stuff.