9 ms·
I don't think Hawking's primary concern was in the self-sustaining sense, rather with the more immediate threats as in the 'asteroid/epidemic/natural disaster'
by rgawdzik 11y ago
I don't think Hawking's primary concern was in the self-sustaining sense, rather with the more immediate threats as in the 'asteroid/epidemic/natural disaster' sense.
Hawking believes humanity needs to figure out space colonization ASAP.
- x5n1 11y agoWell then what would be the point? Any thing that can cut off the life support mechanism of the Earth to the Astronauts or the colony, would mean their survival was no longer guaranteed.
- rgawdzik 11y agoI assume in his quote when he means "Getting a portion of the human race permanently...", he means resource independence from Earth, which would be the point.
- furyofantares 11y agoI don't think non-human-created disasters are that much of a threat to civilization in the 100/1000 year time scales, so I don't think that's what is meant.
- joesmo 11y agoI don't think so, simply because of the way he phrases it and the timeline. There's no way Hawking would predict such a huge natural disaster in the next 1000 years, let alone in the next 100 years with such certainty. I think it's clear he's talking about man-made disasters which have already been set in play (like global warming, overpopulation, war, etc.).