Colonies in space may be our only hope, says Hawking

We're likely to be wiped out by a virus unless we set up colonies in
space, Prof Stephen Hawking warns.

"Although September 11 was horrible, it didn't threaten the survival
of the human race, like nuclear weapons do," said the Cambridge
University scientist. Nuclear weapons need large facilities, but
genetic engineering can be done in a small lab. The danger is that
either by accident or design, we create a virus that destroys us.

"I don't think the human race will survive the next thousand years,
unless we spread into space. There are too many accidents that can
befall life."

"I think humans will have to learn to live in space," he said.

http://news.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?
xml=/news/2001/10/16/nhawk16.xml

From: cygonaut [mailto:george@...]

"I think humans will have to learn to live in space," he said.

Unfortunately, though, when Hawking says "live in space", what he really
means is live on the surfaces of other planets in space. Hawking seems to
suffer from the same planetary chauvinism as almost everybody else.

It's a shame, though. It would be really cool if someone widely
acknowledged as one of the more clever guys around were promoting space
living over planetary living.

Regards,

Mike Combs

From:
cygonaut [mailto:george@...]
"I think humans will have to learn to live in space," he said.
Unfortunately, though, when Hawking says "live in space", what he really means is live on the surfaces of other planets in space. Hawking seems to suffer from the same planetary chauvinism as almost everybody else.

It's a shame, though. It would be really cool if someone widely acknowledged as one of the more clever guys around were promoting space living over planetary living.
Regards,
Mike Combs