Hawking: Humans soon to colonize mars? | Fusion - WeRIndia

The idea of humans leaving Earth and colonizing other planets has always seemed to be an unrealistic concept out of science fiction, never truly considered.

However, according to Stephen Hawking, a realistic consideration of that concept may end up being just what is needed if humanity is to live on.

The rapid rise in temperatures thanks to human wastes in the atmosphere is leading to the melting of the polar ice caps and the flooding of the oceans, and deforestation and hunting have led to the decline, endangerment, and even extinction of hundreds of animal species.

Now that there is no more frontier for humanity on Earth, the only answer left is to head for the stars.

Hawking’s speech went into more detail, but he made a point that our planet Earth is now too small to accommodate for our speedily growing population, and to sustain it, we are depleting our resources far too quickly to continue that sustenance for long.

Therefore, he says, if we are to have a future at all, space is the only answer.

His first suggestion is leaving Earth to venture to the moon or Mars and begin colonizing there, but eventually, we may need to leave our solar system altogether.

None of the other planets in our solar system are sustainable for life as we know it, so leaving it is likely our best option.

Hawking suggests travelling to the star Alpha Centauri, where a planet known as Proxima B has been found that may be habitable for life.

NASA scientists are in agreement with this, and are currently working on a rocket named Space Launch System that will be able to take humans to Mars.

Photo of Mars

Intended for launch in 2019, this craft will allow people to reach Mars in just five or six months. Given this speed of arrival, the prospect of leaving our planet to find a new one to inhabit may not seem so unrealistic after all.

Image Reference: NationalGeographic, YourStory