Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Hawkings: Survival requires space colonies
Tracy Press ^ | June 14,2006 | Sylvia Hui

Posted on 06/14/2006 11:55:06 AM PDT by txroadkill

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 Earth, world-renowned physicist Stephen Hawking said Tuesday.

Humans could have a permanent base on the moon in 20 years and a colony on Mars in the next 40 years, the British scientist told a news conference.

“We won’t find anywhere as nice as Earth unless we go to another star system,” added Hawking, who came to Hong Kong to a rock star’s welcome Monday. Tickets for his lecture Wednesday were sold out.

Hawking said 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.”

(Excerpt) Read more at tracypress.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; Philosophy; Technical; Unclassified
KEYWORDS: colonies; earth; hawking; humanrace; space; stephenhawking
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last
Damnit! I just bought this house, now I got to move again!
1 posted on 06/14/2006 11:55:09 AM PDT by txroadkill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: txroadkill

Has Al Gore heard about this!?


2 posted on 06/14/2006 11:56:47 AM PDT by RexBeach ("There is no substitute for victory." -Douglas MacArthur)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill
“Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming..."

Wile E. Coyote ... Super Genius!

3 posted on 06/14/2006 11:56:59 AM PDT by ClearCase_guy (Without a monkey, "You are nothing, absolutely zero. Absolutely nothing.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill

Hawkings: Survival requires space colonies

It's Hawking. Hawking.
4 posted on 06/14/2006 12:01:22 PM PDT by newgeezer (Repeal all Amendments after XV. Yes, ALL of them. Yes, I mean that one, too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill
Hawking is a hack.

No real scientist would try to use his expertise in his field of study to lend false authority to his unintelligent ramblings on theology and politics.

5 posted on 06/14/2006 12:01:39 PM PDT by wideawake
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill

Steven Hawking? That guy who appeared in an episode of STNG? What does he know. Geeze - someone is an actor and they think it makes them smart or something.


6 posted on 06/14/2006 12:02:49 PM PDT by Tennessee_Bob ("Those who "abjure" violence can only do so because others are committing violence on their behalf.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: wideawake

bttt


7 posted on 06/14/2006 12:03:44 PM PDT by ConservativeMan55
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill
A simple search reveals this was already posted.
8 posted on 06/14/2006 12:04:15 PM PDT by newgeezer (Repeal all Amendments after XV. Yes, ALL of them. Yes, I mean that one, too.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill
It is important for the human race to spread out into space for the survival of the species,

I'm all for that as long as we leave behind the liberals and communists and "global warming" alarmists and Muslims and French.
9 posted on 06/14/2006 12:05:13 PM PDT by adorno
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill
“We won’t find anywhere as nice as Earth unless we go to another star system,” added Hawking,

WRONG .... Mars can be terraformed fairly quickly.

10 posted on 06/14/2006 12:06:05 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (Support Network Infrastructure Defense: Kill BlackHats)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill
Lots of us have been saying it for years. Nice to hear Prof. Hawking say it. Someone with his stature will get significant attention.

The trick is this: make it profitable to colonize space and people will find away.
11 posted on 06/14/2006 12:07:42 PM PDT by Antoninus (I don't vote for liberals -- regardless of party.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: adorno

I ain't goin' no wheres lest I can bring my guns...


12 posted on 06/14/2006 12:08:34 PM PDT by Dead Corpse (It is not the oath that makes us believe the man, but the man the oath.- Aeschylus)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000
WRONG .... Mars can be terraformed fairly quickly.

Define quickly.

13 posted on 06/14/2006 12:09:17 PM PDT by frogjerk (LIBERALISM: The perpetual insulting of common sense.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000
WRONG .... Mars can be terraformed fairly quickly

Not unless they find large amounts of water there. It would be difficult to stretch a bucket brigade from here to there.

14 posted on 06/14/2006 12:10:45 PM PDT by mbynack (Retired USAF SMSgt)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: frogjerk

Oh, a century or so.


15 posted on 06/14/2006 12:10:51 PM PDT by furquhart (Time for a New Crusade - Deus lo Volt!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000
WRONG .... Mars can be terraformed fairly quickly.

Just wait until environmentalists block it with endless lawsuits.

16 posted on 06/14/2006 12:11:56 PM PDT by dirtboy (When Bush is on the same side as Ted the Swimmer on an issue, you know he's up to no good...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: mbynack; frogjerk
Define quickly.

A century or so would be long enough to make the surface habitable.

As far as water, there are dozens of large ice bodies in the outer systems that can be dropped into Mars.

17 posted on 06/14/2006 12:12:24 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (Support Network Infrastructure Defense: Kill BlackHats)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Centurion2000

"WRONG .... Mars can be terraformed fairly quickly."

In the movies, sure. B Grade of course.


18 posted on 06/14/2006 12:12:40 PM PDT by Rock N Jones
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]

To: txroadkill

Nice to see that Hawking has finally come around. Arthur C. Clarke and Robert Heinlein pointed this out decades ago.


19 posted on 06/14/2006 12:13:27 PM PDT by tarheelswamprat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: dirtboy
Just wait until environmentalists block it with endless lawsuits.

Actually by then they will probably be called the Red Mars Faction or Preservationists with the sole goal of preventing man from modifying extraterrestrial bodies.

20 posted on 06/14/2006 12:13:33 PM PDT by Centurion2000 (Support Network Infrastructure Defense: Kill BlackHats)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-70 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson