Stephen Hawking's predictions for the end of the world are terrifying
Stephen Hawking had some pretty terrifying predictions for the end of the world.
The legendary scientist is remembered for his work involving black holes but he also shared some thoughts on how the world might end.
Some of his statements were controversial as he feared that humans would eventually become extinct due to an impending disaster.
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For years, Hawking would call for people to start looking at other planets in order to eventually move permanently, leaving Earth behind.
Speaking to the BBC in 2016, he said: “Although the chance of a disaster to planet Earth in a given year may be quite low, it adds up over time, and becomes a near certainty in the next thousand or 10,000 years.”
The theoretical physicist also warned that global warming was one of our biggest threats, referencing a “tipping point” where the damage would become irreversible.
Another warning Hawking gave us was over life outside of our solar system.
He was not keen on the idea of trying to contact potential alien civilizations that might exist beyond our solar system and urged scientists not to pursue it.
Talking to the Discovery Channel in 2010, Hawking said: “If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans.
“We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet.”
Some people agreed with him, as Ian Stewart, a mathematician at Warwick University, said: “Lots of people think that because they would be so wise and knowledgeable, they would be peaceful. I don't think you can assume that.”
Hawking was also fearful that advanced AI could prove fatal for humanity.
He told the BBC in 2014 that “the development of full artificial intelligence could spell the end of the human race”.
Hawking himself used a basic AI in order to communicate due to the progression of his Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS).
However, he worried that advanced forms of AI could surpass humans.
Don’t lose sleep just yet though, not everyone agreed with Hawking’s theories on how the world might come to an end.
Professor Sir Martin Rees, the Astronomer Royal, commented about Hawking: “He had robust common sense, and was ready to express forceful political opinions.
“However, a downside of his iconic status was that his comments attracted exaggerated attention even on topics where he had no special expertise - for instance philosophy, or the dangers from aliens or from intelligent machines.”
Speaking on Hawking’s fear of alien races, Seth Shostak, from the Seti Institute in California, told the Guardian: “This is an unwarranted fear. If they're interested in resources, they have ways of finding rocky planets that don't depend on whether we broadcast or not. They could have found us a billion years ago.”