Here's the most cheerful thing I've read this week, from Vox: "Theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has set a deadline for humanity to save itself. Within the next 100 years, he warns, we need to colonize Mars and other planets. If we don't, we may not survive climate change, disease, and other versions of doom we're bound to inflict on ourselves this century.
“Hawking’s pessimistic take on humanity isn’t new. But the super-famous scientist and author has been making the case more urgently in advance of the release of his new BBC documentary,’ Expedition New Earth,’ this summer,” the website writes. Hawking says humanity needs to quickly slash the cost of space flight, find new ways to live on mostly inhospitable planets like Mars, and figure out faster ways to get there — or, we’re done for.
PERSPECTIVE: Hair? Heck, who needs it?
Meanwhile, Vox continues, “Timetables like Hawking’s are particularly troubling to climate scientists and others dedicated to fixing planet Earth right now. If we start looking for our salvation outside our solar system, we may be dissuaded and distracted from reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avert catastrophic climate change, they fear.”
Your thoughts? Time to start packing? Email rrollins@coxohio.com.
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