Hawking: Man must leave planet Earth
Pastor Dale Morgan
Hawking: Man must leave planet Earth
*
Editors Note: We will Leave the Planet during the duration of The Rapture*
*
By Laura Clout and PA
Last Updated: 11:19am GMT 30/11/2006
Mankind will have to leave planet Earth to ensure the long-term survival
of the species, the theoretical physicist Professor Stephen Hawking
warned today.
Stephen Hawking
Stephen Hawking says space is his next goal
Prof Hawking said that space-rockets, propelled close to the speed of
light by the kind of technology used in Star Trek, would be needed to
colonise hospitable planets orbiting other stars.
The scientist will today receive 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: "The long-term survival of the
human race is at risk as long as it is confined to a single planet.
"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."
advertisement
Using conventional chemical fuel rockets, the journey to the next star
would take 50,000 years, he said. But if scientists could harness
radiation produced when matter and antimatter are brought together,
spacecraft could accelerate close to the speed of light, and the journey
could be cut to six years.
Prof Hawking added: "My next goal is to go into space. Maybe Richard
Branson will help me."
Another of the country's most eminent scientists, Lord Rees, will also
be speaking at the award ceremony in London.
Lord Rees, president of the Royal Society, told Today that British
society risked "sleepwalking into a future shaped by extremists" unless
scientists learned to engage better with the public.
He said the views of "mavericks" were overshadowing the public debate on
issues such as climate change, stem-cell research and nuclear power.
He spoke out against the teaching of creationism in British schools,
describing the denial of access to education about scientific views of
the origins of life as "cultural deprivation".
Lord Rees said: "How science is applied and prioritised shouldn't be
decided just by scientists. These choices should be made after the
widest possible public discussion by the public, but in the light of the
best scientific evidence.
"Scientists should make clear exactly what the benefits are, exactly
what is involved in the experiments, and they should engage with the
public. There is a tendency for minority, strident views to get
exaggerated attention."