Newsy: Stephen Hawking Warns Against Aliens

British Astrophysicist Stephen Hawking says we should stay away from intelligent alien life that may want to conquer and colonize: "I imagine they might exist in massive ships like these, having used up all the resources from the home planet below. Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonize whatever planets they can reach." (Discovery)

Renowned astrophysicist Stephen Hawking says it's likely intelligent aliens could target our planet for resources and we should stop trying to contact them. His Discovery Channel show explores the scientists' ideas of what types of aliens exist and how similar to life on earth they would be.

But not everyone thinks aliens want to wipe us out 'Independence Day' style. A blogger on Science Blogs thinks Hawking's idea of an intergalacic war is unlikely: "My bet would be on interplanetary biowarfare ... Don't expect alien tripods with lasers, watch out for alien viruses and bacteria turning the soil and atmosphere poisonous or unsupportive."

An astrophysicist on CNN agrees there's probably some kind of life out there, but Hawking's theory of violent aliens should be a different kind of wake up call: "It says more about what we fear about ourselves than any real expectation of what an alien would be like. In other words, our biggest fear, I think, is that the aliens who visit us would treat us the way we treat each other here on earth."

Anchors on ABC's "America this Morning" are skeptical but say Hawking has a great imagination: "His theory is that they might be in massive ships because they ran out of supplies on their own planets.

"Very good imagination." 

"Yes, that's the theory at least."

"I believe they could be out there."

An MTV blog says while the Pod People might be out there, there's also nice ones, like E.T. and A.L.F.: "At least some aliens tuning in to Earth's radio chatter probably are on the lookout for their next potential slave race. But c'mon... let's not forget about the friendly ones. Better to put the word out and draw in a Superman or two than sit and wait for our inevitable subjugation..."

So should we all prepare for a War of the Worlds? Or will E.T. just want to phone home?

Writer: Erika Roberts

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