The earth is the homeland where mankind has survived for millions of years. We naturally have very strong feelings for this homeland, and we all hope that it can continue to develop on the earth. But from a scientific point of view, we also know that this is impossible. The lifespan of the stellar sun cannot be extended indefinitely. After billions of years, it will expand and transform into a red giant. At that time, the earth will become a purgatory. The planet is not suitable for human survival.
Of course, billions of years are still too long for us, and many people are not worried that there will be no retreat for mankind in billions of years. We must know that as long as human technology can continue to develop, billions of years will be enough for us to become an interstellar civilization. At that time, the entire solar system and even the entire universe were our back gardens, and there was no need to worry about nowhere to go.
Compared with the unpredictable future of billions of years, what humans should worry more about is the current climate problem, and many scientists are full of concerns about the future of mankind. Hawking is one of them.
For Hawking, I believe many friends know that he is a great modern physicist. Although he has a disability, he has made outstanding contributions to mankind on the road of scientific exploration. Hawking has been exploring and researching the universe all his life and put forward the famous Hawking radiation theory.
In addition to exploring the universe, Hawking is also a scientist who likes to make all kinds of predictions. You must know that in modern history, the great scientist who made the most predictions was Einstein. He once put forward ten predictions, most of which have been realized. Even if it is not realized, scientists believe that it may become a reality in the future.
Einstein once also made a prediction about the future of mankind: “I don’t know what weapons mankind will use in World War III, but I know that in World War IV, mankind will use stones and sticks. “.
Einstein’s prediction stated that there will be a high probability of nuclear war in the future, which will destroy human science and technology civilization. Compared with Einstein’s prediction of the future of mankind, Hawking is more worried about the future of mankind. He predicted before his death that mankind needs to find a way to leave the earth within 200 years, otherwise mankind may usher in destruction.
200 years is very short for us, but with such a short time, will human civilization really come to an end? Perhaps many people do not agree with Hawking’s prediction, but many scientists have expressed their opinions on it.
As a great scientist, Hawking will naturally not make unfounded doomsday predictions. The reason for such predictions is that in many people’s eyes, it is mainly because of the rapid development of human technology and the continuous improvement of cognition of the universe. The rapid deterioration of the earth’s environment is related.
I believe many people know that Hawking once conducted an interesting experiment. He believes that according to the current development speed of mankind, 200 years later, mankind will have the hope to study a time machine and travel back to the past from the future.
So Hawking wrote a letter to people in the future 200 years later, inviting them to come to his banquet. It’s just that when the day that Hawking agreed with the future came, no one came to visit. There are two possibilities for this situation. One possibility is that after 200 years, humans have not developed a time machine. Another possibility is that human civilization has been destroyed 200 years later.
Assuming that Hawking’s prediction is true, human civilization will be destroyed 200 years later, then what disaster will end human civilization? We must know that human science and technology in 200 years will inevitably be much stronger than it is now. We don’t have to doubt this. We must know that it took only 200 years for the development of human science and technology since the industrial age to the present.
So what kind of huge disaster ruined modern science and technology civilization? In fact, before mankind became an interstellar civilization, there were still many disasters that could end human civilization. From the perspective of the earth itself, large-scale volcanic eruptions can destroy human civilization.
According to the research of scientists, the Yellowstone super volcano in the United States has entered a periodic active period and has become more and more active. According to past research, the Huangshi super volcano will erupt once every 600,000 years or so. From the perspective of the time period, the next volcanic eruption is not far away.
If the Yellowstone super volcano erupts, then the mass extinction of living things 65 million years ago will repeat on the earth, and the mass extinction of living things 65 million years ago ended the age of dinosaurs. Then similar mass extinctions will happen again in the future, then the era of humanity is also possible. Will end.
In addition to volcanic eruptions, ancient viruses brought about by the greenhouse effect continue to recover, and the threat to humans is also very great. If after 200 years, the greenhouse effect fully recovers the permafrost in the Arctic and Antarctic, one of the ancient viruses will explode on a large scale, bringing a crisis to human health, and ultimately leading to the destruction of the entire human civilization.
In addition to the catastrophes that may be caused by the earth itself, what we have to worry about is disasters from outer space. I believe everyone understands the destruction of the earth’s ecology by asteroid impacts. It was the impact of an asteroid with a diameter of about 10 kilometers that caused the extinction of the dinosaurs 65 million years ago. If 200 years later, there would also be an asteroid with a diameter of more than 10 kilometers. When the asteroid hits the earth again, humans will also be very dangerous.
Of course, 200 years later, human science and technology may be able to intercept small asteroids. An asteroid with a diameter of about 10 kilometers may not be able to threaten humans, but what if it is an asteroid of 100 kilometers or even thousands of kilometers? I am afraid we will not be able to intercept.
In addition to the threat of asteroids, Hawking is more worried about the invasion of alien civilizations. In fact, everyone knows whether alien civilization exists. From the perspective of the vastness of the universe, it is difficult for us to deny the existence of alien civilization. Scientists also firmly believe that aliens exist. Hawking has always emphasized the existence of alien civilization. And they may not be friendly.
If the alien civilization is not friendly, and in order to constantly search for the alien civilization, humans have been sending signals to the depths of the universe. If an alien civilization is in the vicinity of the solar system and just receives a signal from humans, then it is possible to come to the earth to colonize.
For an extraterrestrial civilization that can cross the interstellar to the earth, even if it comes from the nearest neighboring galaxy, its technological strength is incomparable to human beings. We are completely incapable of defeating a powerful interstellar civilization, so once a malicious alien civilization arrives on Earth, what awaits us may be the end of the entire civilization.
Therefore, Hawking has always opposed humans sending signals to the universe and has repeatedly warned humans to stop searching for alien civilizations. Through these understandings, we can see that Hawking’s concerns about the future of mankind are not completely nonsense, but may actually happen.
Therefore, for the continuation of human civilization, we need to put eggs in different blue seeds, walk out of the earth to the interstellar, and sow the seeds of human civilization everywhere in the universe, so as to prevent human civilization from being overwhelmed. Of course, it is not easy for human beings to become an interstellar civilization, and it will be difficult for us to do so in at least 200 years.
Before human beings become an interstellar civilization, we must protect the earth and delay the deterioration of its ecological environment. In fact, human beings are now racing against time. As long as the speed of technological development slows down, the future of human civilization will be unfavorable. Therefore, to eliminate all difficulties, it is also necessary to speed up technological development and step out of the earth to become an interstellar civilization.