Hawking Says Looking for Aliens Won't End Well

[drwho1]

I think Hopkins has been watching too many Sci-Fi movies

 

[LORD_ORION]

Right... they would want earth's resources when they could mine our asteroid belts instead. (incidentally the most valuable resources were deposited here by large asteroid strikes).

Also, why use human slaves when robots would do?

 

[sliem]

Ever watched movie "Planet 51"?
Maybe we will be the "Aliens". That is if we pass 2012, lol.

 

[jellico]

[citation][nom]guanyu210379[/nom]Hawking said something like because humans are like that.Actually..who knows...perhaps we are the only ones who are aggressive and greedy..[/citation]
Believing in the golden-hearted alien makes for some interesting sci-fi (not to mention certain religious cults). But realistically, there is very little basis for it and it ultimately proves to be naive.

In nature, we have countless examples of the strong praying upon the weak. Yet, I can't think of a single example of a stronger species helping a weaker species (other than humans, but even that is a dubious example).

It is logical to assume that any species capable of interstellar travel is far more technologically advanced than we are. So right away WE would be the weaker species and totally at the mercy of any such visitors. If they are without mercy, then we're pretty much stuffed.

It is also logical to assume that every intelligent species will act first for their own self interest. So they may not be malevalent beings, but just acting in their own best interests and we may suffer for it. Really, about the best that we can hope for is for the aliens to have a sort of Prime Directive wherein they refuse to interfere with other races (especially inferiors races). In which case, there would be absolutely no reason to make contact with us. They would observe, but never reveal themselves or get involved.

The idea of benevolent, peace-loving aliens who just want to be our friends and maybe share their technology with us... that is, in all probability, pure fantasy. At best it is an extreme long-shot (and by that I mean, you'd have a better chance of winning the lottery several times in a row).

So, yes, I think Dr. Hawking is dead-on when he predicts that nothing good will come of attempting to contact any extra-terrestrial intellience.

 

[babybeluga]

You should've really stolen gizmodo's picture for this article. It is epic.

 

[mlopinto2k1]

You would think an intelligent, handicapped person like Hawking would theorize a little more that we we're created by God. Mathematically, it all adds up. What doesn't add up is the ridiculous THEORIES that are layered on top of theories and layered on top of more theories about how, why and when life was created. We haven't even searched more than 1% of our OWN OCEANS! How the HELL can Hawking presume we aren't alone!? We are our own worst enemy. He acts like we are some paradise of humans that "cultivate" the land. Even on Tom's Hardware if "aliens" were to read the comments and base Earthly life on it, they would annihilate us, on the spot. We are an extremely destructive species that no "alien" would cater to. Come in peace? How about come and free the Earth from the virus we call Humans.

 

[zachary k]

yes, because aliens want our resources, its not like they can get it ANYWHERE else. if they wanted to find us, they would have without us sending out weak radio signals and satellites. hawking just watched too many movies as a kid.

 

[jecastej]

Do we have a clear understanding of the superior alien behavior and needs out there in the rest of the universe? How does someone knows that? Even Stephen Hawking.

This is the same thinking that produced most myth all over the human history: Some basic or limited knowledge and little or no facts. Sorry that it comes from a great scientist but this is not science. If we want to know about science fiction then there is a lot and more on the way.

They, the aliens, could be living in their spaceships in the deep ocean consuming a lot of resources and energy they need from "our" planet and we wouldn't know. Or we do?

 

[NoCaDrummer]

For an intelligent species to get here, they will have to possess far, FAR greater technology than we do. That said, what's to prevent them from farming the Earth, and us, as we farm crops, mines, and livestock now? If they don't come in peace, we're screwed!

"'To Serve Man'... It's a COOKBOOK!"

 

[rmmil978]

Actually, they might not be so violent. Perhaps the only way your society can ever get to the level of being able to develop interstellar technologies requires you to evolve past the basic instinct to blow the s*** out of each other.

 

[Hellbound]

I don't understand. Most of the resources found on earth can be found on other planets. I would imagine if they needed oxygen, they could produce it like we do for our space travel..and I'm sure they have better ways since they can travel light years. I'm sure they dont run their ships on fossil fuels so oil is out. Oh yeah, O + H2 = water.. I'm sure they know how to put those together. Minerals can be found on other planets.

I dont see how a vastly intelligent species that can travel light years would have any interest in our little planet other than a) eating us or b) learning about us.

 

[RipperjackAU]

Given the previous comments on this post about resources being everywhere, what else could an alien race want with humans... well, what did every other conquering army take first and foremost from an enslaved population?? THE WOMEN!!

Once you go cro-man, you never go back! Sliders!

 

[HavoCnMe]

Well, hopefully they don't need slaves, resources, or our planet. Hoping they only want to stop by and say hi.

 

[jonpaul37]

I think i will stick with Gene Roddenberry's views here. Yes, some alien races will/would be malicious but not all of them. Hawking is basically saying to "not take a chance" which is basically against all human nature.

Another way to think about it is if we were to become advanced where we could visit other planets outside our solar system, what would be the first thing we look for, intelligent beings from which to communicate with or just to rape & ravage for resources?

My guess is that if we are able to make it far enough to another planet outside our solar system, we would have outgrown our selfish need for fossil fuels and would be well into other types of energy such as anti-matter. Just my 2c

 

[sliem]

The Kzer-Za will enslave us, and I think that's a lot better than being cleansed by the Kohr-Ah.

Unless we have a precursor vessel, chmmr avatar, pkunk fury and mega bomb -- I prefer to stay under the red sky of impenetrable shield. Wouldn't you?

 

[STravis]

In the US we have guns - we'll sick the Tea Baggers on them

 

[bacalou]

It is more likely that the local alien population knows about us and have quarantined the area. Because of the residual distance that our transmissions have covered during the Earth's journey through space, it is unlikely that we haven't caught the attention of the local alien population; even if they weren't looking for us. Certainly, if we were standing still our transmissions would cover a lot less area. Fortunately, because radio waves do not take on the vector of the transmitter, we have left quite a lot of expansive transmissions in our wake.

 

[Guest]

Aliens or not we should know whats going on on the universe, out in space and must important in our planet, We have to spend more time and money in education and training to develop our self; spiritually,
mentally, physically and technologically. We are as good as any other form of life in the universe and we should try to focus more in how to control human race, our planet and everything in it.
Ho needs aliens when we have countries on war,ignorance,corruption and indifference in our every day life. Maybe if the aliens came to conquer our world at last will be together as humans for a good cause.........@

 

[Clintonio]

[citation][nom]guanyu210379[/nom]Hawking said something like because humans are like that.Actually..who knows...perhaps we are the only ones who are aggressive and greedy..[/citation]
No. Bad fantasy dweller. This is not Avatar. The Na'vi do not exist. Life is not like that.

As for Hawkings; He's right. Although, another point is that they probably will ignore us if we're too far away, I expect there are bountiful planets nearer them. (Assuming distance is a concern for them).

A good reason for my concern is the old Hive Mind mentality that could have evolved else where. It doesn't take a genius to realise we don't want to come up against that.

When we can go out looking for aliens, we should do it. While we're still asking them to come to us; we should worry about how advanced a race that can come here will be!

 

[maxiim]

I think they will only want tea. There wont be much resources left by the time they get here.