Certified genius Stephen Hawking believes in alien life forms, but warns that that citizens of Earth shouldn’t go out of their way to find them. He recently told The Times:
To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational. The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like.
While finding a nice alien like A.L.F., E.T., or Starman sounds really cool, Hawking believes that there’s a high chance that any aliens earthlings encounter will be bastards:
We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet. 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.
If aliens ever visit us, 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.
Do you agree with Hawking’s assessment? Do you even believe in aliens? Kindly take today’s poll and share your opinions on the matter.
[poll id=”37″]
Alright here we go. I've always believed in life outside of this planet. I've also been watching a lot of Sliders and X Files recently and my only question to the world is how do we know for certain that there aren't any more universes or multiverses in existence? Tasmanian devils, zebras, gorillas, and giant squid were all myths and monsters at one point in time. Gorillas were "discovered" in 1901!!! 1901 and they live in our proverbial backyards. My logic on this one is until the answer is 100% no we have to consider every and anything a possibility.
Hawking has watched a few too many space movies. I think there are plenty of other life forms out there but the I doubt they are out to get us. Heck i might be wrong though, but being taken over by alien lifeforms is the last thing I would have guessed.
@slicky
Yeah Battlefield Earth scenario would blow.
I agree that the probability includes something hostile.
Carl Sagan also said that's it's silly to not believe that there are other lifeforms in the universe given the mathematical odds.
Hawking's assessment is probably spot on though. Hell, if we got to another planet that had life on it, and we thought we could take over their planet and claim it for America… that's exactly what would happen. We will get the resources no matter what.
Why would they be different?
Nope I don't buy it all.
The other thing to consider, is that our species only developed emotion in our evolution because it was vital to our survival as a species. Sex is only pleasurable… because it was vital to our survival as a species. This may not be the case with other lifeforms in the universe.
That said… they really might have no emotion whatsoever.
@N8R A-ha! The Bee Gees addressed this issue, once upon a time:
"It´s just emotion that's taking me over,
Caught up in sorrow, lost in the song,
But if you don´t come back,
Come home to me darling,
You'll know there´s nobody
Left in this world to hold me tight,
There´s nobody left in this world to kiss goodnight,
Goodnight."
@Rpad
Where's the karaoke machine when you need one!
@ Ray
Yes, but both Ugly Kid Koe AND Three Days Grace said:
"I hate everything about you"
Which, granted is just the of the same spectrum. So… once again, we come back to the all knowing words of Johnny Rotten and the Sex Pistols:
"Hello and goodbye
And a runaround Sue
You follow me around like a pretty pot of glue
Kick you in the head
You got nothing to say
Get out of the way I gotta getaway
You never realise I take the piss out of you
You come up and see me and I beat you black and blue
Yeahhh
All 'a sudden your bruised
No feeling
No feeling
No feeling
For anybody else
Except for myself
In love with myself
My beautiful self"
@ correction to #9
is just the *opposite side* of the same spectrum
@tokz_21 I live in Koreatown. There are hundreds of karaoke machines on every block here. Ha!
@rpad
hahaha. I got the magnet on Saturday! busy weekend so i'll take a pic some time this week.
@bsukenyan You don't think aliens exist? What are they teaching you at BSU?
@BSU
wow! You don't think aliens exist??? so you think we're all by ourselves in this vast universe that we have no idea what's out there and haven't even 1/10000000000 inch of. I would use the infinity sign but i don't have the slightest idea how to make that pop up. Oh you know what was a decent alien abduction movie was "Fourth Kind" w/ Milla Jovovich. It blends the real life footage and movie stuff very well.
@Ray and @Tokz
I have never really been keen on the idea of alien's existing (so pre-BSU, lol). I think mathematically it would make sense that aliens could exist, purely based off of the amount of space that is available and the amount of that space that we have been able to explore. But just because it it is mathematically possible does not mean that I think it is very probable. I don't see a use for aliens existing, and I think that human life has a purpose (yes I just said I have the answer to life, I'm just full of surprises aren't I? LOL) But I will tell you up front that most of my beliefs come from a religious viewpoint. Not radical, mind you, but religious, and I know that that turns plenty of people off.
I am not closed off to the idea of aliens existing, I just don't see the point so much.
? copy and past this next time Tokz, or you should just be able to find it under the character map on any word document.
@Tokz
I just saw the symbol I posted didn't post. So just follow the instructions that I listed if you want to use the infinity symbol for anything other than posting online apparently.
@BSU
thanks. I probably should've looked that up since i am typing up a manual at work but i was too lazy. Ha!
I have an "infinite" view of the universe. If there is any probability at all, then it either has happened, is happening, or will happen. No matter the odds, there will always be an infinite universe to prove us wrong.
@sandrock
and a possible infinite crisis?!?!
i believe anything stephen hawking tells me i should believe