Stephen Hawking calls for space colonies

[Atomic_Piggy]

http://space.newscientist.com/article/dn13748-stephen-hawking-calls-for-moon-and-mars-colonies.html

I agree with him compeltely.

 

[Tyguy]

if only he were president

 

[Remus]

I agree with everything he said.

If only the vast US military budget was used for more useful purposes I imagine we would've had a lunar base by now...:frown:

Stephen Hawking for president!

 

[Eejit]

The picture of him in zero G is so cute. I want a pet Steven Hawking for my sweet 16!

 

[Tyguy]

The picture of him in zero G is so cute. I want a pet Steven Hawking for my sweet 16!

 

[Shoes_Buttback03]

Hawking = god
Hawking + Hawking = uber god

 

[Que-Ever]

I've taken up going around in an electric wheelchair because of him.

And pretty soon I'll have taken up going around in an electric wheelchair because of him in space.

 

[noQ]

Agreed.
Space should/could be the next driving force for new technologies instead of negatively purposed technologies of war.

 

[Tyguy]

him and michio kaku should rule the world

 

[The Monkey]

The physicist also speculated on the reasons that SETI (Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence) projects have not yet detected any alien civilisations.

He offered three possibilities: that life of any kind is very rare in the universe; that simple life forms are common, but intelligent life rare; or that intelligent life tends to quickly destroy itself.

"Personally, I favour the second possibility – that primitive life is relatively common, but that intelligent life is very rare," he said. "Some would say it has yet to occur on Earth."

Heh. Too true.

 

[Tyguy]

well, from what kaku says about this...there are 3 types of civilizations:

1.Planetary - Control many planets as well as having the ability to control the weather
2.Stellar - exhausted their energy, now get their energy from a star (Star Trek)
3.Galactic - Harness power of billions of stars (Star Wars)

Earth is a type 0 civilization, we suspect to transform into a type 1 in the next 100 years

 

[Terminator]

Good intentions but we must sort out problems here as well as venturing into space, it's a nice 'dream' to live in space but the current issues mean we should stabilize our own little patch.

well, from what kaku says about this...there are 3 types of civilizations:

1.Planetary - Control many planets as well as having the ability to control the weather
2.Stellar - exhausted their energy, now get their energy from a star (Star Trek)
3.Galactic - Harness power of billions of stars (Star Wars)

Earth is a type 0 civilization, we suspect to transform into a type 1 in the next 100 years

So how did he make up that system then? why would one 'transform' into a planetary civilization into a stellar one, stupid concept if you ask me, the universe isn't some empire earth game.

 

[Tyguy]

well thats just it, these current issues you speak of could very well be the end of us as we know it, so until we expand our civilization, there's no way of knowing if humanity can sustain itself

So how did he make up that system then? why would one 'transform' into a planetary civilization into a stellar one, stupid concept if you ask me, the universe isn't some empire earth game.

Well, it's kind of the obvious way to advance. Once we get control of the solar system, the next move would be to expand to other stars...the transformation into a planetary system will come once we establish a base or something on mars i suspect.

 

[AJ Rimmer]

Hell yes, Mr Hawking is on to something. We went from first human in space to walking on the moon in less than ten years, let's have a repeat of that kind of performance!

 

[Ennui]

Stephen Hawking is infinitely more awesome than Michio Kaku. I read Hyperspace and it was pretty entertaining, but A Brief History of Time was better. Also, Kaku strikes me as not very important for the most part, just pretty good at explaining complicated things in a simple manner, whereas Hawking is KIND OF A BIG DEAL.

 

[Slug Advisor]

We fail if we don't establish atleast one colony in the next 100 years. Srsly.

 

[Tyguy]

we already fail, thanks in large to the federal reserve...thieves

 

[<RJMC>]

so when I could be able to visit the mount olimpus?

I want to slide on it to the bottom

 

[highlander]

that picture of him floating made me feel un-nerved. not sure why.

 

[Pesmerga]

if only he were president

He'd still be a better speaker than Dubya.

 

[Laivasse]

Hawking is ace, I still remember his appearance at the British Comedy Awards. He shared a funny with Johnathan Ross and was presented with a Simpsons toy figure of himself by Matt Groening. Honest to god true story.

There was almost an ENTIRE MINUTE of silence between Wossy asking the prof. a question and Hawking coming up with a punchline though. It was the most excruciating thing I've ever watched, but then everyone collapsed in relief-laughter when ol' Wheels brought home the funny.

 

[DEATHMASTER]

What we need to do is get one of us space goers in a major political position.

 

[Rashak]

**** Yeah!

 

[Polaris]

This man is one of few reasons why I still believe in mankind.
He is Gordon Freeman's hero for a reason!

 

[NeptuneUK]

Commander Hawking has given us the signal! Let our space rebellion be swift and glorious and may zero mercy be shown to our enemies!

 

[Atomic_Piggy]

Stephen Hawking is infinitely more awesome than Michio Kaku. I read Hyperspace and it was pretty entertaining, but A Brief History of Time was better. Also, Kaku strikes me as not very important for the most part, just pretty good at explaining complicated things in a simple manner, whereas Hawking is KIND OF A BIG DEAL.

This. If you want something explained in laymen terms, Kaku is the way to go, but Hawking is just awesome.

 

[Saturos]

Hawking is a true visionary. We need more people like him fs, because the reason our developed world is seemingly taking a nose dive today is because we lack enough people like him.

Many people today, for example, don't seem to care about future prospects such as the 200-500 year time frame Hawking talks about for long-term space exploration and ultimately, preservation of the human species.

Why? Simply because these said people don't care because they, "will be dead" in 200 years anyways. The kind of selfish thinking that got our species in the predicament (energy, environment, economy,etc.) we're in now.

 

[Godron]

TBH, I'd rather just protect our own planet. Space colonies should be for research and exploration, not as a backup plan in case we kill our own planet.

That said, I admire his vision and forsight for reviving the old spirit of space exploration. He's right about manned space missions capturing the imagination better than robotic ones, in fact I think that is the greatest boons space travel has to offer. There was an article posted here a while back arguing for more space exploration or something, and it mentioned space exploration as an anti-thesis to war, drawing nations together in pursuit of a common goal. Because space travel is really, really cool, and exiting. Saving our own planet on the other hand isn't; it's slow, difficult, boring, unrewarding (in the short term at least), tedious and it requires massive compromises, not just money.

The one thing I am very wary of is expansionism. I don't think the success or development of the human race should ever be equated with its size and prevalence, I think that's a primitive and irrational way of thinking. Our success should be measured by the advancement of moral standards, technology, lifestyles etc.. I'm not saying that we shouldn't set foot on new planets, just that we should control ourselves, not spreading for the sake of it or to make more room for an exploding population. The idea of a humanity that spreads through the galaxy, destroying native species and terraforming worlds to make way for itself is one I find chilling, and entirely plausible.

 

[Eejit]

TBH, I'd rather just protect our own planet. Space colonies should be for research and exploration, not as a backup plan in case we kill our own planet.

We aren't the only danger we could face.

 

[Seppo]