Over the last hundred years of its history, mankind has made a huge innovative leap. We learned to fly (at least with airplanes and helicopters), to build a giant machine, curing once incurable diseases, has developed a computer, the Internet and smart gadgets. At the same time, we continue systematically to destroy itself: the constant war (two of which were worldwide) and created by the human, climate change is about how you can describe a list of “interests” of the current generations. Stephen Hawking, famous theoretical physicist and popularizer of science, believes that in this situation we have about 100 years to “doomsday” and we urgently need to find a way to leave this planet until the worst happened.
This is not the first time Hawking gives such pessimistic forecasts. In recent years, it scares us how verhuny artificial intelligence (AI) will put an end to mankind, and first contact with intelligent extraterrestrial civilization might be the one. In November last year, he said that we have 1,000 years to leave Earth. Now the Outlook is even bleaker. Now, the scientist takes us just 100 years. Downright amazing what could happen in 6 months that the person so changed point of view. Most likely, for the Hawking they were very disappointing, once a scientist has decided to reduce the hypothetical remainder of the term of existence of the Earth as much as 900 years.
More information about on the basis of which Hawking makes such forecasts will be presented in a new documentary of BBC, which is coming out June 15 called New Earth Expedition (“Expedition to a new Land”). In this film a scientist to speculate about what humanity has become an interplanetary species within the next century if it is, of course, wants to survive.
Our days are numbered
According to Hawking, our days on Earth are numbered, and the reasons for this, there are many serious climate change, the threat of asteroids, epidemics, overpopulation and hunger, to name a few. The only way to survive? We need to start colonization of other planets. And the sooner the better. For 100 years, really a lot can happen. In addition, we have proved that the amount of time you can make a lot of amazing scientific and high-tech discoveries. But if we become an interplanetary species for such a relatively short period of time?
The founder of companies SpaceX and Tesla Elon Musk believes that this is possible. He even has a plan. The destination? Mars. The current level of development of our technology it is impossible to say that the Red planet is so close to us. However, Musk promised to land humans on Mars by 2025 and establish a colony to 2033 mu. It is well within the promised Hawking the allotted time. To be honest, the Mask is very hard to believe, but his plan looks too ambitious. At least for now. It’s possible to get to Mars and build a colony there stable we will be able in a few decades. But by 2033-mu? It would be desirable to believe, but no.
Fortunately, not only Musk is working in this direction. Space Agency NASA maintains an active research and development program of manned flights to Mars. Red planet is also interested in China. Who knows, maybe together we can accelerate our path to a new home.
Stephen Hawking: to “doomsday” humanity has left 100 years
Nikolai Khizhnyak