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You are here: Home / Nukes of Hazard blog / Stephen Hawking, Aliens, and Sole Purpose

April 26, 2010

Stephen Hawking, Aliens, and Sole Purpose

Perhaps this is what the authors of the NPR had in mind when they said that “the United States is therefore not prepared at the present time to adopt a universal policy that deterring nuclear attack is the sole purpose of nuclear weapons.”

Or as a colleague put it: “Is anyone else really hopeful about living to see the day that [sic] a Nuclear Posture Review makes an argument about needing reserve nuclear weapons to hedge against extrageopolitical surprise.”

______________________________

Stay home ET. UK scientist: Aliens may pose risks

The Associated Press
Monday, April 26, 2010; 7:42 AM

LONDON — 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.

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