Professor Stephen Hawking in past few years have made some
thought-provoking claims about future. He has previously said AI (artificial intelligence)
take over human kind in 100 years. Now, in his newest warning, the physicist
claims that if AI doesn't overcome humankind, an advanced alien civilization
may do so instead. Professor Hawking in a recent interview, said “If aliens
visit us, the outcome could be much like when Columbus landed in America, which
didn't turn out well for the Native Americans. Such advanced aliens would
perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can
reach," Hawking is, at present, leading a major search for intelligent
alien life by means of two of the world's most powerful telescopes.
The telescopes will search one million of the neighboring
stars to Earth for weak signals thrown out into the cosmos by intelligent life
beyond our own world. Researchers taking part in this $100 million (£64
million) initiative will also scan the very center of our galaxy along with 100
of the neighboring galaxies for low power radio broadcasts. And the hunt
is heating up. Just last week, NASA broke the news that Mars contain liquid
water reignited the belief that alien life might soon be discovered. Hawking said
“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”
Hawking also says that if aliens don't kill off the humankind,
then climate change or AI may perhaps do so instead.
He said “I think the survival of the human race will depend on
its ability to find new homes elsewhere in the universe, because there's an
increasing risk that a disaster will destroy Earth,”
So what is your opinion about this recent claim of Stephen Hawking?