by Marilla Mulwane

Created on: April 25, 2010

Stephen Hawking is a renowned physicist. He has studied mathematics, physics, and cosmology, earning his Ph.D. He has written numerous books, his most famous being "A Brief History of Time", and has won many awards. Hawking's research and work makes him one of the most respected scientists in his field, and the go-to guy when it comes to the unknown in outer space. So, when Hawking speaks, we listen, and believe.

Now Hawking is telling us that aliens do exist, but that they won't be easily controlled with Reese's Pieces.

During a four-part series for Discovery Channel titled "Into the Universe With Stephen Hawking", the scientist claims that aliens are real, but that they are most likely not very friendly. He feels that if aliens come to our planet it will be because they used up all their natural resources, and are looking for a new world to make their own. Those ET's will be looking to conquer, not share. 

Sounds like Hawking's watched "Independence Day" one too many times.

The debate has raged for years about whether or not aliens exist. Frank Drake developed a mathematical equation to estimate the number of planets that could hold intelligent life. Carl Sagan argued that with such a vast universe, and so many planets, how could only one spawn intelligent life? That there has to be a planet somewhere with life even smarter than us. Or, a planet somewhere with life still learning. Enrico Fermi questioned this by simply asking, "Where are they?"

Hawking's uses math to argue that life must exist because the numbers say so. However, his belief that these aliens are evil doesn't stem from mathematics so much as from our own history, and our own way of doing things. During the Discovery Channel series, Hawking states, "If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans."  Yes, that makes sense. When Columbus came looking for a new world, they didn't want to share either.

Hawking goes on to say "We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn't want to meet."

Wow, what an insult to the human race. Hawking is assuming that as an intelligent race, the best we can become are conquering marauders. That we will travel, just like these aliens, from place to place. While there we will plunder and kill in order to survive. That is all intelligence will get us. When you watch "V" on TV, that is our future, according to Hawking.

What if we aren't an intelligent race, yet? What if we are still on the lower level? We don't have the means, yet, to travel to other planets and live on them. Maybe those aliens Hawking is so sure exists have that technology, but were smart enough not to kill their planet in the first place. Maybe we're still learning. One would hope so.  That way, we still have time to learn how to not be Columbus and to take more of an interest in Reese's Pieces.

Watch "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking" on the Discovery Channel at 9pm, Sunday, April 25th.

Sources:

Sheridan, Michael.  Contact with aliens could gets us killed, says Stephen Hawking in Discovery's 'Into the Universe, NYDailyNews.com

Stephen Hawking warns over making contact with aliens, BBC News

The Biography of Professor Stephen W. Hawking, hawking.org.uk

 

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