Stephen Hawking: Aliens may pose risks

[Nickdfresh]

Stephen Hawking: Aliens may pose risks

The Associated Press

1:19 PM CDT, April 25, 2010

LONDON (AP) - British astrophysicist Stephen Hawking says aliens are out there, but it could be too dangerous for humans to interact with extraterrestrial life.

Hawking claims in a new documentary that intelligent alien lifeforms almost certainly exist, but warns that communicating with them could be "too risky."

The 68-year-old scientist says a visit by extraterrestrials to Earth would be like Christopher Columbus arriving in the Americas, "which didn't turn out very well for the Native Americans."

He speculates most extraterrestrial life will be similar to microbes, or small animals - but adds advanced lifeforms may be "nomads, looking to conquer and colonize."

The Discovery Channel said Sunday it will broadcast "Stephen Hawking's Universe" in Britain next month.

http://www.dvdactive.com/images/reviews/screenshot/2008/6/signs2.jpg

www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-ap-bc-eu-britain-dangerous-aliens,0,7925749.story chicagotribune.com

Copyright 2010 Associated Press. All rights reserved.

[LoungeMachine]

They're already here.

Anybody visited Florida lately?

:gulp:

[chefcraig]

The first two (of four) hours of Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking airs this evening at 9PM(EST) on the Discovery Channel.

[VAiN]

The first two (of four) hours of Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking airs this evening at 9PM(EST) on the Discovery Channel.

Thanks for the heads-up, I LOVE this shit...

And yes, they're all over Florida.

[chefcraig]

Thanks for the heads-up, I LOVE this shit...

And yes, they're all over Florida.

By the way VAiN...speaking of aliens and Florida, ESPN's 30 For 30 documentary series features Ricky Williams this week. It's on Tuesday night.

[Little Texan]

He speculates most extraterrestrial life will be similar to microbes, or small animals - but adds advanced lifeforms may be "nomads, looking to conquer and colonize."



I think Stephen Hawking may have watched too many science fiction movies.

[chefcraig]

I think Stephen Hawking may have watched too many science fiction movies.

Yeah, the guy is out there in that spooky brilliant territory formerly roamed by Carl Sagan. The difference being that while Sagan was sort of goofy, Hawking really comes across as scary. Although pretty much written in layman's terms, his A Brief History Of Time, was utterly baffling in it's complex mathematics. Sagan's Cosmos (which more or less covered a great deal of the same subject matter) was much more user-friendly, and thus more accessible. At least it didn't give me a headache when I tried to comprehend some of the theories in play.

[fryingdutchman]

Well....they've reportedly already visited Sammy Hagar.

So if that says anything about aliens taste in humans, then FUCK 'EM!!!!!!!

[chefcraig]

Well....they've reportedly already visited Sammy Hagar.

So if that says anything about aliens taste in humans...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NIufLRpJYnI

[Seshmeister]

I think that space and time is maybe just too damn big for it to happen.

[thome]

I made it thru the first 21 minutes and I am about 10-15 to turning the channel...I love Music and respect the union and thier god given union doctrine that sais nothing can be produced without a soundtrac....those mother ...............................fukkers.

The last 4 years or so I am sick and fukking tired of these yoyo ma George Lucas MASSIVE PRODUCTION VALUE oboe playing chelo grinding sound tracs on a... narrated DOCUMENTARY.

I cannot hear the narration due to the bullshit fiddle grinding geeniouse artists rendition of SHUT THE FUKK UP!!!

Other than that, a good show ..except.. Hawking seems to be about 35 years behind me in his descriptions of the concepts of space time the universe and life.

[Hardrock69]

I have said before, but will repeat myself.

Too many people think a) there is no life in the cosmos except for our own. Most of these fucking idiots are Christian zealots who cannot conceive THE LORD-DUH JEEZESSS-AH creating any other races of beings in the universe, and b) aliens are going to be the "phone home" or "friendly Close Encounters" types of ETs portrayed in the movie biz.

It is just as likely they would be like those depicted in the films Independence Day, Predator, Alien, or War Of The Worlds.

It is better to be safe than sorry.

Sure, we might get lucky and have contact with a race or races who are benevolent and wish to help us.

But the powers that be have the mindset that we should be prepared for any eventuality regarding intelligent life out there.

You think we have all these nuclear missiles because the Pentagon is afraid of other countries on Earth? Only a couple a dozen or so would be enough to pretty much wipe out the rest of the world's major nations in a WWIII scenario. So you gots to ask yourself.....why do we have THOUSANDS of them?

Stephen Hawkings IS a smart man (obviously), and has COMMON SENSE.

[Dan]

Beam Me Up Scotty.:D

[GAR]

Stephen Hawking is the Christopher Columbus of the mind.

This is why the aliens will come for his brains and eat em.

[kwame k]

I have said before, but will repeat myself.

Too many people think a) there is no life in the cosmos except for our own. Most of these fucking idiots are Christian zealots who cannot conceive THE LORD-DUH JEEZESSS-AH creating any other races of beings in the universe, and b) aliens are going to be the "phone home" or "friendly Close Encounters" types of ETs portrayed in the movie biz.

It is just as likely they would be like those depicted in the films Independence Day, Predator, Alien, or War Of The Worlds.

It is better to be safe than sorry.

Sure, we might get lucky and have contact with a race or races who are benevolent and wish to help us.

But the powers that be have the mindset that we should be prepared for any eventuality regarding intelligent life out there.

You think we have all these nuclear missiles because the Pentagon is afraid of other countries on Earth? Only a couple a dozen or so would be enough to pretty much wipe out the rest of the world's major nations in a WWIII scenario. So you gots to ask yourself.....why do we have THOUSANDS of them?

Stephen Hawkings IS a smart man (obviously), and has COMMON SENSE.

I agree, HR. It makes sense what Hawking is saying. The Columbus thing is a great analogy and if they have the technology to get here, they are further advanced than us, who's to say what their intentions are.

Arguments saying that advanced civilization are less likely to be aggressive is based on what??????? Name one advanced civilization that wasn't.

I do think 90% of all UFO's were mistaken sightings or military experiments. It's that 10% that makes you wonder.......

[VanHalener]

Certain people should be shot into the vaccum of space so we can show what kind of suck exists on earth to dissuade aliens from coming here.

My partial list...

Sammy Hagar in 5 gallon bucket after being chopped up in a blender

Al Sharpton

Rosie Odonnel or however you spell that cow's name

All the women on The View

Jason Campbell

Dan Snyder or however you spell that asshole's name

Ahmed Adinnerjacket or however you spell that cocksuckers name

That Korean prick Kim LittleDong Ill, or however you spell that lunatics gay ass name

That fat ugly bitch who gave me shit for taking up 6 parking spaces while towing my boat. I let that bitch HAVE IT. Verbal beatings are free baby!

I'll add to this list later

[BITEYOASS]

That fat fuck who discovered all of those boybands should kicked out the space shuttle and burn up on re-entry. Lou Pearlman I think his name is.

[kwame k]

...at least that fucker is in jail where he's getting the ass raping he gave to those boy bands :biggrin:

I like your idea better than prison!

[Little Texan]

Certain people should be shot into the vaccum of space so we can show what kind of suck exists on earth to dissuade aliens from coming here.

My partial list...


Jason Campbell




Jason Campbell got worse during the weekend...he was sent into the vacuum of the Oakland Raiders! :biggrin:

[Little Texan]

I have said before, but will repeat myself.

Too many people think a) there is no life in the cosmos except for our own. Most of these fucking idiots are Christian zealots who cannot conceive THE LORD-DUH JEEZESSS-AH creating any other races of beings in the universe, and b) aliens are going to be the "phone home" or "friendly Close Encounters" types of ETs portrayed in the movie biz.

It is just as likely they would be like those depicted in the films Independence Day, Predator, Alien, or War Of The Worlds.

It is better to be safe than sorry.

Sure, we might get lucky and have contact with a race or races who are benevolent and wish to help us.

But the powers that be have the mindset that we should be prepared for any eventuality regarding intelligent life out there.

You think we have all these nuclear missiles because the Pentagon is afraid of other countries on Earth? Only a couple a dozen or so would be enough to pretty much wipe out the rest of the world's major nations in a WWIII scenario. So you gots to ask yourself.....why do we have THOUSANDS of them?

Stephen Hawkings IS a smart man (obviously), and has COMMON SENSE.

I agree. People don't seem to realize just how vast and infinite the universe is. You figure that in our galaxy alone, there are billions upon billions of stars, and there could be Earth-like planets supporting life orbiting any one of them, and that's just in our own galaxy. Then you figure there are BILLIONS upon BILLIONS of GALAXIES in the universe, with billions of stars within each one of them adding to the potential of other life supporting planets orbiting those stars. It's not a possibility that there is life elsewhere in the universe, it is more like a PROBABILITY when you look at it from that perspective. Someone would have to be pretty closed minded to believe that we are the only intelligent life in this vast, infinite universe. I think the average person doesn't really give this sort of thing a whole lot of thought.

[ELVIS]

I don't because it's pointless...

Besides, I don't want aliens sucking up our jobs and healthcare...

[Little Texan]

I don't because it's pointless...

Besides, I don't want aliens sucking up our jobs and healthcare...

They already are, illegal ones that is!

[TAKIN WHISKEY]

I saw a show on PBS about the universe and they explained how big our Milky Way Galaxy is in terms most people can understand. The Milky Way is a medium size spiral galaxy. If you took a picture of every planet in the Milky Way and put it in a book and started turning pages at a rate of one page every second, how long would it take to see every planet and get to the end of the book? Constant turning and viewing one planet per second would take you Ten Thousand Years to get to the end of the book. That is ONE galaxy. I have never been naive enough, even as a child, to think we are the only life form in the universe.

[kwame k]

ELVIS has :biggrin:

Sorry E, couldn't resist!

[Golden AWe]

Yeah, the guy is out there in that spooky brilliant territory formerly roamed by Carl Sagan. The difference being that while Sagan was sort of goofy, Hawking really comes across as scary.

I think Hawkins is just making a statement of our behaviour, not so much about aliens.

However, considering us humans are the only highly intelligent folks here on earth, in sense of technology etc., look what we have done to cows and pigs and loads of other animals? We use our powers, but we also abuse them. Who's to say aliens wouldn't use as the same way, considering they would be more intelligent than us if they can travel across space? I don't mean they'd kill us like many of the sci-fi says, but they could make us their slaves, and I don't necessarily mean sex slaves of humanoid queens...

The reason for that, however, is a question. They should be very desperate about the matters, space and nature of the world (food and space) to abuse us.

However, like I said, I would be afraid of anyone who acts like humans but is more powerful than us, no matter how friendly they'd look...

[Blackflag]

I, look what we have done to cows and pigs

What's wrong with what we did to cows? I love cows.

[Dan]

What's wrong with what we did to cows? I love cows.

You Sick Fucker.:D

[Blackflag]

Because I eat cows? Shit.

[Little Texan]

Because I eat cows? Shit.

You eat cow's shit? You ARE a sick fucker! :biggrin:

[Blackflag]

They say there are a lot of nutrients in manure.

[Golden AWe]

Blackflag, you don't have to worry about aliens. Unlike us humans, they may appreciate vegetables.

[Anonymous]

Ya know... most of you are forgetting something.

After all the years of science fiction films & novels, we tend to believe that aliens will be either humanoids or insectoids.

Who's to say that life cannot be created in conditions completely unlike Earth's? Such life would NOT be something we can imagine. Ever.

And if we cannot even begin to imagine what they look like... will their actions - if they can indeed be called "actions" - ever make any sense at all to us, in case of an encounter?

Hawking is most likely right... but... so what? You can avoid that shit just the same as you can avoid a second Ice Age or the melting of the Polar Circles...

Cheers! :bottle:

[Nickdfresh]

Personally, I believe in the Drake Equation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drake_equation) stating that there are probably very few space-faring high tech civilizations because:

a.) civilizations tend to destroy themselves and either have to rebuild (as in after the collapse of the Roman Empire), or are annihilated in a nuclear winter...

b.) we live on a "rare earth" and that few such planets exist capable of sustaining a higher order of life. And even on this earth, lower orders of life such as Gar continue to exist...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rare_Earth_hypothesis

[Seshmeister]

We have been detectable from our TV waves for about 70 years now so just to a range of 70 light years. That's just to a few dozen stars out of the billion billion in the galaxy. The funny thing is that it looks like what will happen is in the next 50 years or so we'll stop using TV with everyone going to satellite/cable etc so maybe civilisations only have a tiny tiny tiny window where they are detectable.

If the sun is a table tennis ball the Earth is a grain of sand 12 foot away and the next nearest star is over 40 miles away.

[Hardrock69]

One thing that was brought up repearedly in MANY episodes of Star Trek (in all of the different series) was that alien life does not actually have to have 'feelings' or 'emotions'. I mean, if some fucking race like The Borg landed on this planet, and they had say 500 million soldiers, along with advanced technology, we would all be dead.

Or some kind of intergalactic cloud of evil 'psychic' entities that can travel at light speed and do not require oxygen (The Lights Of Zerar, anyone?).

They could just be mindless creatures who are driven to feed by the instinct to survive, much like cattle naturally graze on grass.

I will just say I surely hope any alien races we encounter are friendly, for all our sakes.

[Seshmeister]

As Phil Plait said 'In science fiction spaceships go at the speed of plot.'

[thome]

I BID 400 QUATLOOS...

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_r7BRFUMcYPI/S4CewaYZXWI/AAAAAAAAA6Y/H42pV9JjB48/s400/mars_jpg_595x325_crop_upscale_q85.jpg

In between defeating the 500 million aliens, I will teach a alien thigh high hooker boot wearing fox about Human Love.

cause I am sexy like that.

[Baby's On Fire]

I agree, HR. It makes sense what Hawking is saying. The Columbus thing is a great analogy and if they have the technology to get here, they are further advanced than us, who's to say what their intentions are.

Arguments saying that advanced civilization are less likely to be aggressive is based on what??????? Name one advanced civilization that wasn't.

I do think 90% of all UFO's were mistaken sightings or military experiments. It's that 10% that makes you wonder.......

What freaks me out are those audio recordings of airline pilots or Russian military pilots, for example, baffled by what they are seeing...UFOs that they simply can't track or follow due to high speed or impossible maneuvarability.......It wasn't advanced military technology.......I've read a number of books with 80, 000 yeard-old-or-so cave paintings depicting what is obviously a humanoid in a space suit or an obvious typical UFO....There's no way caveman who didn't even have language could fantasize about mechanical machinations...especially those that fit the typical UFO / alien description......No way to fake that shit.

[TAKIN WHISKEY]

What freaks me out are those audio recordings of airline pilots or Russian military pilots, for example, baffled by what they are seeing...UFOs that they simply can't track or follow due to high speed or impossible maneuvarability.......It wasn't advanced military technology.......I've read a number of books with 80, 000 yeard-old-or-so cave paintings depicting what is obviously a humanoid in a space suit or an obvious typical UFO....There's no way caveman who didn't even have language could fantasize about mechanical machinations...especially those that fit the typical UFO / alien description......No way to fake that shit.

Exactly! And the pilots that you mentioned, especially military, would have a pretty damn good idea if there was ANY aircraft, even top secret, that could fly or maneuver like that.

[simarillion]

who is the great watcher over us all? is it time?

[Jesus Christ]

who is the great watcher over us all? is it time?

That would be Me and My Dad. :jesuslol:

[Nitro Express]

I think Stephen Hawking may have watched too many science fiction movies.

With all the shit going down caused by humans and natural disasters, some aliens coming is the least of our problems. Holy hell people have gone nuts now. I'm more worried about some asshole driving his car into me and killing me on the road than some aliens coming to butt rape me.

[Nitro Express]

I saw a show on PBS about the universe and they explained how big our Milky Way Galaxy is in terms most people can understand. The Milky Way is a medium size spiral galaxy. If you took a picture of every planet in the Milky Way and put it in a book and started turning pages at a rate of one page every second, how long would it take to see every planet and get to the end of the book? Constant turning and viewing one planet per second would take you Ten Thousand Years to get to the end of the book. That is ONE galaxy. I have never been naive enough, even as a child, to think we are the only life form in the universe.

Also the speed of light is pretty slow on a universal scale. Just getting a healthy person to Mars and back in good health is pushing the envelope. The human body degrades pretty fast in zero gravity and even with exercising everyday, muscle and bone loss is a big problem. We weren't designed to live in zero gravity, it's not our element. I think what we have learned is we are earth beings and we better get our act together and take care of this planet we live on. Look at the other planets in the solar system compared to ours. Mars is a big desolate desert and it's ugly. I think we have the better real estate here so let's take care of it.

[clarathecarrot]

I am a root vegetable

[Nickdfresh]

You're a wart on the ass of humanity...