Stephen Hawking's Latest Warning

[Mounds]

Mankind must abandon earth or face extinction: Hawking - Yahoo! Canada News

These seemingly annual articles crack me up. Less famous scientists and people in general talk about how Earth is running out of resources all the time. Anyone who takes a second to think should realize that our species can't sustain itself if we don't do something about it.
But America doesn't care about you if you're not a famous expert! Stephen Hawking says it and it's headline news. If this guy beat Mine Sweeper on Expert, CNN would post it as "Breaking News".

[rickrock]

Originally Posted by Mounds

Mankind must abandon earth or face extinction: Hawking - Yahoo! Canada News

These seemingly annual articles crack me up. Less famous scientists and people in general talk about how Earth is running out of resources all the time. Anyone who takes a second to think should realize that our species can't sustain itself if we don't do something about it.
But America doesn't care about you if you're not a famous expert! Stephen Hawking says it and it's headline news. If this guy beat Mine Sweeper on Expert, CNN would post it as "Breaking News".

Haha, well the link was very interesting, I support the idea but not the cause, I support it because its a reason to do it, and it being Hawkings kind of pushes the idea of living on another planet even further. To me, anything that can push the mental and physical boundaries we put up for ourselves is worth doing, plus living on another planet would be pretty awesome

[ZephyrusX]

plus living on another planet would be pretty awesome

If I could do anything, I would travel into the future for the sole purpose of seeing how human civilization has advanced. It would be awesome to see human beings colonize space. But I suppose I should be careful what I wish for, eh? *Zephy arrives at future destination and asks 'where did all the people go' Pink flamingos have invaded the Earth )

[Zach M]

I doubt that Earth could get so bad that space is better. Just think how much easier colonizing Antarctica would be than extraterrestrial destinations.

[cacheborn]

I am curious as to why 200 and why not 400 or 700?

[Rebecca800]

Originally Posted by Mounds

These seemingly annual articles crack me up. Less famous scientists and people in general talk about how Earth is running out of resources all the time. Anyone who takes a second to think should realize that our species can't sustain itself if we don't do something about it.
But America doesn't care about you if you're not a famous expert! Stephen Hawking says it and it's headline news. If this guy beat Mine Sweeper on Expert, CNN would post it as "Breaking News".

We sit up and take notice when Hawking says it because the man is a frikkin genius!! It's not just because he's famous...

I also think we need to colonize space in the big picture. This planet can only support a finite population and at the rate we're going, we will face serious food and water shortages in not too many generations. We're growing up fast and soon it will be time to flee the nest...

On the other hand, I believe nuclear war is inevitable and that will devastate our population, as well as impact on our ability to grow food on a global scale. With such an ever-present threat, we need to create colonies in space that will survive our possible extinction here on Earth.

Yes it will be difficult to terraform other planets and I'm not saying it will be fun! But with future technologies paving the way, we'd be foolish not to.

[ar81]

Originally Posted by ZephyrusX

If I could do anything, I would travel into the future for the sole purpose of seeing how human civilization has advanced. It would be awesome to see human beings colonize space. But I suppose I should be careful what I wish for, eh? *Zephy arrives at future destination and asks 'where did all the people go' Pink flamingos have invaded the Earth )

How about this future?
USA with public health and no private banks, derivatives abolished, income not tied to jobs because machines do all the job. Politicians behave like workers and public behave like their bosses. People think about giving more than they think about taking, making money or making profit.

As for Hawking, he is mistaken. Nuclear war will never happen, as politicians do not want to die. They just will scare people out with the nuclear threat, but that's just strong words.

[Bradshaw]

Originally Posted by ar81

As for Hawking, he is mistaken. Nuclear war will never happen, as politicians do not want to die. They just will scare people out with the nuclear threat, but that's just strong words.

I agree.

Stephen is seeing the world from the very limited scientific perspective. He makes a good point... objectively. He's very logical, very objective, very scientific. When it comes to logic, objectivity and science, I do believe he is a very smart individual with a lot of value to give to the world.

Honestly, there are many errors in his reasoning, and most of them are due to the fact that he does not see the world with any worldview besides the scientific worldview.

Logic, objectivity and science, when they stand on their own, fail to make truly accurate predictions many of the times.

"Radio has no future. Heavier-than-air flying machines are impossible. X-rays will prove to be a hoax."

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

"The earth’s crust does not move.”

Scientists are funny.

[xfactor]

Originally Posted by Mounds

Mankind must abandon earth or face extinction: Hawking - Yahoo! Canada News

These seemingly annual articles crack me up. Less famous scientists and people in general talk about how Earth is running out of resources all the time. Anyone who takes a second to think should realize that our species can't sustain itself if we don't do something about it.
But America doesn't care about you if you're not a famous expert! Stephen Hawking says it and it's headline news. If this guy beat Mine Sweeper on Expert, CNN would post it as "Breaking News".

I think we should change ourselves rather than start looking for new worlds to populate. After all, until we defeat our greed we won't really solve the problem. On the other hand, if everyone on our planet starts treating life more responsibly, we'll probably won't have to look for another home for many years.

[SireneB]

Colonize space but avoid aliens? Interesting.

I don't see us going that way at all, now.

[xfactor]

Originally Posted by SireneB

Colonize space but avoid aliens? Interesting.

I don't see us going that way at all, now.

I think aliens is the last problem we should worry about. Don't think they can do anything to us that we wouldn't do ourselves.

[Hern]

Mars now! We have the tech to start to terraform Mars. Once we have started there will be money to be made with newer and better tech. This drives the engine of industry and economics. Creating lots of jobs from guys with shovels to people with too many degrees. Win- Win situation. Even if it is premature and slightly misguided it seems to be a great way to end the economic slump.

[xfactor]

Originally Posted by Hern

Mars now! We have the tech to start to terraform Mars. Once we have started there will be money to be made with newer and better tech. This drives the engine of industry and economics. Creating lots of jobs from guys with shovels to people with too many degrees. Win- Win situation. Even if it is premature and slightly misguided it seems to be a great way to end the economic slump.

I'm afraid that terraforming and colonizing Mars would take zillions of dollars and decades of investment, and only after that will it become profitable economically. But you're right - colonizing Mars would solve a lot of world's economic problems for years to come.

[Hern]

Originally Posted by xfactor

I'm afraid that terraforming and colonizing Mars would take zillions of dollars and decades of investment, and only after that will it become profitable economically. But you're right - colonizing Mars would solve a lot of world's economic problems for years to come.

As it stands now it would take billions of $ in investment and over 100 years to see a remarkable effect. However that will change as industry develops new tech. With the new tech it will make the process faster and cheaper. Industry will invest only if there is a way to make money. So sitting around doing nothing will result in the various industries doing nothing as well. The number of new jobs and spending will offset itself.

[Rebecca800]

Billions of dollars is nothing... What about the $10 trillion credit crunch deficit??

BBC NEWS | Business | '$10 trillion' credit crunch cost

[russianrocket]

We can't even control what happens on our own planet lol and we wanna terraform an entirely new one. Sad.

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by Hern

Mars now! We have the tech to start to terraform Mars. Once we have started there will be money to be made with newer and better tech. This drives the engine of industry and economics. Creating lots of jobs from guys with shovels to people with too many degrees. Win- Win situation. Even if it is premature and slightly misguided it seems to be a great way to end the economic slump.

I think resources on Mars (zero) will always be fewer than on Earth. Why don't we terraform our deserts on Earth first.

[Bliss Sage]

I agree with xfactor.

Originally Posted by Mounds

Mankind must abandon earth or face extinction: Hawking - Yahoo! Canada News

These seemingly annual articles crack me up. Less famous scientists and people in general talk about how Earth is running out of resources all the time. Anyone who takes a second to think should realize that our species can't sustain itself if we don't do something about it.
But America doesn't care about you if you're not a famous expert! Stephen Hawking says it and it's headline news. If this guy beat Mine Sweeper on Expert, CNN would post it as "Breaking News".

I totally agree with this too.

And in spite of his "genius," Hawkings' attitude is as foolish as the one that destroyed the earth in the first place. Basically he's saying, "Well, we ruined this planet, let's go out and kill what's in space now." Some genius.

Meanwhile, the rare breed of wise men in the world are completely ignored and even killed off by the destructive force that is comprised of males who think like Hawkings.

IMO, it is words like these which should make headlines and men like this who should be given the high status Hawkings has:

YouTube - (Part 2) Indigenous Native American Prophecy (Elders Speak part 2)

The fact that men like Hawkings are worshipped and the wise men are being killed off or silenced because they stand for a life style that does not make gods of money and power only speaks to the lack of spirituality and to the shallow values of mankind.

[Gazzali]

exploration is expensive. We should find new ways to economise the way we live. That would b a better option.

[The Rock]

Originally Posted by metamorph

I think resources on Mars (zero) will always be fewer than on Earth. Why don't we terraform our deserts on Earth first.

That's as assumption. Mars has hardly been explored. Just because it's a dead planet doesn't mean it has no natural resources. The Moon for example has plenty of Helium-3, which is pretty rare here on Earth.

[pyrogen]

There's also, quite possibly, a huge amount of mineral wealth waiting on the asteroid belt and outer planets... without risk to the ecosystem of any living world...

[metamorph]

Originally Posted by The Rock

That's as assumption. Mars has hardly been explored. Just because it's a dead planet doesn't mean it has no natural resources. The Moon for example has plenty of Helium-3, which is pretty rare here on Earth.

I was not thinking so much about "mining" Mars, but rather colonising it. With respect to resources supporting life, I think Mars has little to offer. Also, I am not sure how well we have established what resources there are still hidden on Earth (below the oceans, the Russian tundra etc).

[Acting Like Godot]

There is no lack of resources on planet earth. What's lacking is our ability to manage and harness the available resources.

For example, alternative sources of energy include solar energy and tidal power. As long as (1) the sun shines, and (2) the earth and moon are moving, there's much, much, much more energy than we actually need, waiting to be harnessed.

There is a simple economic reason why we haven't developed the technology required to take advantage of these energy sources, in a widespread, mainstream manner. We haven't invested enough money.

There is a simple economic reason why we haven't invested enough money. It's because traditional energy sources such as oil are still too cheap.

If or when the traditional energy sources start running out, watch the world pour its resources into developing the technology to tap alternative sources.

Imagine banks lending billions of dollars to fund such research (because that's the place where money is to be made);

imagine the new business superstars of the world being not Gates of Microsoft; or Buffett of Berkshire Hathaway; but the CEOs of alternative-energy companies;

imagine the top 500 universities of the world placing highest priority on their faculties doing energy research, and the smartest students in the world fighting hard to get a place in these faculties (as opposed to medicine, or law);

imagine China churning out 100,000 engineers per year, year after year, who specialise in alternative energy research (note: 100,000 engineers per year would only be a small fraction of the total number of engineers that China produces per year)

imagine alternative-energy companies paying energy engineers the kind of bonuses that investment banks pay their bankers today;

WHY would the world not be able to develop and produce the technology to tap solar, tidal energy etc?

------------------------

For donkey years already, we have calculators that work without the usual batteries. Indoor lighting is enough for them to be used.

Now imagine handphones that you charge by briefly placing them in a spot of sunlight;

imagine cars that recharge automatically, when they are parked in the sun;

imagine almost every roof in a residential area having solar panels, generating enough electricity to run almost all your appliances;

imagine the sides of tall commercial buildings being covered with solar panels, such that they automatically power each floor of the building;

imagine entire towns and cities near the sea (eg New York; London); , being constantly powered, simply by the daily movement of the tides .......

THERE IS NO LACK!

[Acting Like Godot]

Gasp .... The stunning power of my argument brought this thread to a dead halt.