"If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans," said the astrophysicist in a new television series, according to British media reports.
The programmes depict an imagined universe featuring alien life forms in huge spaceships on the hunt for resources after draining their own planet dry.
"Such advanced aliens would perhaps become nomads, looking to conquer and colonise whatever planets they can reach," warned Hawking.
The doomsday scenario is suggested in the series "Into the Universe with Stephen Hawking" on the Discovery Channel, which began airing in the United States on Sunday.
On the probability of alien life existing, he says: "To my mathematical brain, the numbers alone make thinking about aliens perfectly rational.
"The real challenge is to work out what aliens might actually be like."
Glowing squid-like creatures, herds of herbivores that can hang onto a cliff face and bright yellow predators that kill their prey with stinging tails are among the creatures that stalk the scientist's fantastical cosmos.LONDON (AFP)
A bit of arcturi commentary on the subject.
1. Many of us are quite aware of the existence of aliens, the question has really become not if aliens exist, but in what form do they take and what intentions do they have. Finally, with the voice of renowned scientist Steven Hawking has the general population begun to take this matter seriously.
2. Arcturi would like to see the realms of spirituality and "rational" scientific thought starting to work together to find some definetive answers about the nature of this great reality!
