Posted on 06/15/2006 6:41:00 AM PDT by edpc
Acclaimed British physicist Stephen Hawking has said that humanity is finally getting close to understanding the origin of the universe.
Speaking at a lecture in Hong Kong, Hawking said that despite some theoretical advances in the past years, there are still mysteries as to how the universe began.
"Despite having had some great successes, not everything is solved. We do not yet have good theoretical understanding of the observation of the expansion of the universe," he told an audience of 2,500 at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology Thursday.
"Without such understanding, we cannot be sure of the future of the universe.
"New observational results and theoretical advances are coming in rapidly; cosmology is a very exciting subject. We are getting close to answering these old questions: why are we here, where did we come from?"
The 64-year-old also said his unfulfilled ambitions, among many, were to find out what happens inside black holes, how the universe began and how the human race can survive in the next 100 years.
Above all, he joked, he wants to understand women.
On Tuesday Hawking said the human race should reach for the stars to survive as the Earth is at risk of being wiped out by a disaster.
He believes humans should settle in space, predicting a lunar settlement within 20 years and a Martian colony in 40.
Hawking, a Lucasian Professor of Mathematics at the University of Cambridge, speaks with a voice synthesiser and has been in a wheelchair since developing motor neurone disease.
During his Hong Kong visit he also revealed he is writing a children's book with his daughter about theoretical physics.
Hawking is the author of international best seller "A Brief History of Time", which attempted to explain a range of subjects in cosmology, including the Big Bang, black holes, light cones and superstring theory.
He is on a six-day visit to Hong Kong and will meet Chief Executive Donald Tsang Friday before heading to Beijing Saturday where he will give a lecture on string theory.
IOP2
Well, seeing as they're in the middle of the thread, I had no choice but to at least scan them while I searched for the next message that actually had something to do with the topic of the thread. Did you click on a thread having to do with science, the origins of the universe and Stephen Hawking expecting a theological discussion? I know I don't click on a religion thread expecting to find a discussio of quantum mechanics.
Let's all go over to the religion threads and start spamming them with scientific theories or quotes from the koran.
See how long it takes us to get a "knockitoff"
Why would you stoop to those kind of tactics? It's silly.
Like going on the soccer threads and saying soccer is gay. You may be right, but you won't convert anybody by being a jerk like moonbeam traveller.
But.....
soccer IS gay.
LOL, Like I said, you may be right, but....
You said -- "Have you read my book of proof on the Artesians?"
Do I really want to do that? For what reason? Is it supposed to improve my life? Will it make a difference in my eternal destiny?
What makes a difference to me is what Jesus Christ says.
Jesus said to him, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
Now, *that* makes a difference to me.
Regards,
Star Traveler
I believe in freedom of religion and freedom FROM religion....
What I find odd is when someone is being an obnoxious ass that clearly dislikes me and that I can hardly stand for 5 seconds in cyberspace.....but their purpose (because God told them to) is to get me to repent to so I can go heaven....
AND SPEND ETERNITY AROUND THEM!
I don't think so....
I wanna sit as far away from them as I can.
You said -- "Well, seeing as they're in the middle of the thread, I had no choice but to at least scan them while I searched for the next message that actually had something to do with the topic of the thread."
Well, likewise, I can't seems to pass by hardly anything in this society without getting blasted (one way or another) with all sorts of anti-God and anti-Bible propoganda. But, I can sure recognize it immediately and I know what category to put it in.
If you're that concerned about that "issue" -- you've got less of a problem than I do. And if I can sort it out quickly, I'm sure you can, too.
Regards,
Star Traveler
Yeah, it will make a difference. The Artesians rule the earth from the surface down. Where are they going to put your body when you take a dirt nap? Huh?
Exactly. I don't do that sort of thing, because I respect other people's beliefs, or lack thereof. But some, like "traveller" seem to be unwilling or unable to accept the fact that some of us don't share their beliefs. They're as bad as the activist atheist nutters, who they criticize, who work to get nativity scenes or school prayer eliminated. At least that's what I got from his/her comment - we're free to be unbelievers (or believers with different beliefs), as long as we don't pollute other's minds with our infidel ideas.
Cool. Live & let live, kind of thing. I don't care if someone worships Satan, Anrea Dworkin or whatever, just don't try to foist it on me & my babies.
For being the smartest guy in the room, he doesn't have much common sense. I'd love to place a wager against that.
While interplanetary visits may be possible, who in hell would actually want to go live there permanently? Can you imagine the cost to set up these "colonies"?
You said -- "Yeah, it will make a difference."
Then we're down to "What is truth?" that Pontius Pilate asked Jesus... And from there, you either believe Jesus or you don't.
Jesus said that He was *all truth* and that there is no truth outside of Him. With Jesus Christ, you don't have to go anywhere else...
It's up to you to decide whether you're going to accept that Jesus is exactly who He said He was -- or not. That's not up to me. I already know.
Regards,
Star Traveler
You should find out who Immanuel Velikovsky is
and what the lovely scientific establishment,
led by its stooges Sagan and Asimov,
tried to do to him when he had the nerve to disagree with their pet talking points.
I am not sure he has terraforming or something like that in mind. Still, I imagine if we were capable of such things, we would also be capable of saving this planet, if necessary. At that point, we'd likely have another source of energy and have the capability to harvest elements from asteroids, other planets, and so on...
Ward Churchill is a professor and a DEPARTMENT HEAD! in Ethnic Studies
You must be very impressed with his credentials.
Angela Davis (head of the US Communist Party) was a PROFFESSOR in Political Science at a California University.
Are you impressed with her 'credentials?"
I went to lunch this afternoon, turned on the car radio and heard the same thing.
Odd......planets aligning ..... to this thread ... I wonder
[cue spookie music]
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