Post by enigma on Jan 20, 2007 2:32:24 GMT -5
Mankind must colonise other planets to survive, says Hawking
Mankind will need to leave planet Earth to ensure the long-term survival of the species, theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking warned today.
Prof Hawking said that space-rockets propelled by the kind of matter/antimatter annihilation technology used in Star Trek would be needed to colonise hospitable planets orbiting other stars.
And he disclosed his own ambition to go into space, and appealed to Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson - who is planning a "space tourism" venture - to make his dream come true.
Prof Hawking was speaking ahead of the presentation to him later today of Britain's highest scientific award, the Royal Society's Copley Medal, previously granted to Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday and Captain James Cook.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that scientists may be within 20 years of reaching his prediction in A Brief History of Time that mankind would one day "know the mind of God" by understanding all the laws which govern the universe.
And he said that this knowledge may be vital to the human race's continued existence.
"The long-term survival of the human race is at risk as long as it is confined to a single planet," he told Today.
"Sooner or later, disasters such as an asteroid collision or nuclear war could wipe us all out. But once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe.
"There isn't anywhere like the Earth in the solar system, so we would have to go to another star.
"If we used chemical fuel rockets like the Apollo mission to the moon, the journey to the nearest star would take 50,000 years. This is obviously far too long to be practical, so science fiction has developed the idea of warp drive, which takes you instantly to your destination. Unfortunately, this would violate the scientific law which says that nothing can travel faster than light.
"However, we can still within the law, by using matter/antimatter annihilation, at least reach just below the speed of light. With that, it would be possible to reach the next star in about six years, though it wouldn't seem so long for those on board."
The science fiction series Star Trek has used matter/antimatter annihilation as an explanation for the warp drive which powers spaceships like the Enterprise through vast distances in short periods of time.
But in reality, some scientists believe that the radiation produced when matter and antimatter are brought together and destroy one another could in fact one day be used to accelerate craft to close to the speed of light.
Prof Hawking today said that his own ambition was to take part in a more conventional form of space travel.
"My next goal is to go into space," he said. "Maybe Richard Branson will help me."
Mankind will need to leave planet Earth to ensure the long-term survival of the species, theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking warned today.
Prof Hawking said that space-rockets propelled by the kind of matter/antimatter annihilation technology used in Star Trek would be needed to colonise hospitable planets orbiting other stars.
And he disclosed his own ambition to go into space, and appealed to Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson - who is planning a "space tourism" venture - to make his dream come true.
Prof Hawking was speaking ahead of the presentation to him later today of Britain's highest scientific award, the Royal Society's Copley Medal, previously granted to Charles Darwin, Michael Faraday and Captain James Cook.
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that scientists may be within 20 years of reaching his prediction in A Brief History of Time that mankind would one day "know the mind of God" by understanding all the laws which govern the universe.
And he said that this knowledge may be vital to the human race's continued existence.
"The long-term survival of the human race is at risk as long as it is confined to a single planet," he told Today.
"Sooner or later, disasters such as an asteroid collision or nuclear war could wipe us all out. But once we spread out into space and establish independent colonies, our future should be safe.
"There isn't anywhere like the Earth in the solar system, so we would have to go to another star.
"If we used chemical fuel rockets like the Apollo mission to the moon, the journey to the nearest star would take 50,000 years. This is obviously far too long to be practical, so science fiction has developed the idea of warp drive, which takes you instantly to your destination. Unfortunately, this would violate the scientific law which says that nothing can travel faster than light.
"However, we can still within the law, by using matter/antimatter annihilation, at least reach just below the speed of light. With that, it would be possible to reach the next star in about six years, though it wouldn't seem so long for those on board."
The science fiction series Star Trek has used matter/antimatter annihilation as an explanation for the warp drive which powers spaceships like the Enterprise through vast distances in short periods of time.
But in reality, some scientists believe that the radiation produced when matter and antimatter are brought together and destroy one another could in fact one day be used to accelerate craft to close to the speed of light.
Prof Hawking today said that his own ambition was to take part in a more conventional form of space travel.
"My next goal is to go into space," he said. "Maybe Richard Branson will help me."
