Stephen Hawking Thinks You Should Be Afraid of Aliens
By Tyler LynchApril 26th, 2010, 1:50 pmComments (7)
I hate it when scientists are upset. We're all used to politicians and religious nuts telling us we should fear government and anal probes, but when the really smart people start fretting? Terrifying.
On a new program for the Discovery Channel, Stephen Hawking argues that the existence of extraterrestrial life is mathematically almost certain. But he also warns that the evil, plundering aliens we humans have imagined in our worst movies might actually be the reality:
"I imagine they might exist in massive ships, having used up all the resources from their home planet. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach."
So, Herr Doctor, are you saying that these aliens would be akin to pirates?
"I think the outcome would be much as when Christopher Columbus first landed in America, which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans."
Oh. So they're genocidal conquistadors. Good to know.
On a sort of relevant note, here's a Carl Sagan / Stephen Hawking mash-up tribute thing:
Commentarium (7 Comments)
I think, based on his description (running out of resources on their home planet) we're more likely than they are to become to colonists and marauders. So, we'll be richer ten million years in the future. Awesome.
The aliens will wipe us out because we are mutant Breeders who don't smell right and we have no Protectors.
Speak for yourself. I always use a Protector.
Well he's a bit late on pointing that out. H. G. Wells' "War of the Worlds" was supposed to be an allegory about colonialism.
His reasoning is pretty sound - he doesn't say aliens must be dangerous, just that it's statistically more likely that any alien who answers our attempts to contact extra-terrestrials will be so. Further, he reasons that a society advanced enough to be capable of interstellar travel will have (likely) used up their planets natural resources - the analogy to Columbus is also pretty solid unless you believe advanced technology inevitably contributes to moral integrity and compassion (internet comment boards pretty much killed that myth).
plus even if there is only a .00000001% chance they are hostile, the risk is too great. Pulp sci-fi classics aside, there is no way we could defend ourselves from a spacefaring civilization.
Pass the beer nuts...
Now you say something