Stephen Hawking Warns Against Confining Ourselves To Earth

alancronin writes with this excerpt from CNet: "Stephen Hawking, one of the world's greatest physicists and cosmologists, is once again warning his fellow humans that our extinction is on the horizon unless we figure out a way to live in space. Not known for conspiracy theories, Hawking's rationale is that the Earth is far too delicate a planet to continue to withstand the barrage of human battering. 'We must continue to go into space for humanity,' Hawking said today, according to the Los Angeles Times. 'We won't survive another 1,000 years without escaping our fragile planet.'"

Re: Earth isn't delicate,

[Anonymous Coward]

I vote we go the locust route

Re: Earth isn't delicate,

[Jason1729]

Yes, I'm aware this is slashdot, but not everyone is happy living in their parents basement. For your own sake, try to stay off the internet for a little while and see what the world is really like.

Re: Earth isn't delicate,

[Smallpond]

People don't need planets to live. Or, at least, not to live on. Lagrange points to anchor habitats are a nice touch. Give me low G, controlled weather, and no Mosquitos any day. Get us out of 'natural' ( ignoring the natural/unnatural false dichotomy) environments and in to ones designed by engineers to handle hard human loving.

Yes. Because when you think about luxurious comfort "designed by engineers" is the first thing that comes to mind.

Re:Barmy littlle twat, this Hawking fellow.

[Jeremiah Cornelius]

Clearly, this intelligence thing is over-rated.