Earth could burst into flames, Stephen Hawking once warned
What's the story
Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking had once predicted a grim future for our planet, where it could become a "giant ball of fire." He made the prediction during his speech at the Tencent WE Summit in 2017. The warning was based on his concerns over unchecked population growth and rising energy consumption, leading to an apocalypse.
Tech growth
Technology's rapid advancement could lead to extinction
Hawking also expressed his worries about the rapid advancement of technology. He feared that if this trend continues, humanity could be heading toward extinction. "I don't see scientific or technological developments slowing down or stopping in the future," he had said. The physicist predicted that "the present exponential growth cannot continue for the next millennium."
Future forecast
Overpopulation, energy consumption could lead to apocalypse
Hawking predicted a dire future where, by 2600, the world's population would be so dense that electricity consumption would make Earth glow red-hot. He said, "This is untenable." The physicist warned that if humans kept multiplying at this rate, they could create conditions for a catastrophe like nuclear war to wipe them out.
Additional threats
Other threats include AI, pandemics, nuclear war
Hawking also listed other potential threats to Earth, including pandemics, the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), and even alien invasions. His warnings are particularly relevant in light of the current global geopolitical climate, where nuclear war seems like a real possibility. Russia has hinted at the possibility of a nuclear strike amid its conflict with Ukraine, while Israel has been engaged in skirmishes with Hamas and Iran.
Alien speculation
UFOs could be real, said Hawking
Hawking also speculated about the existence of alien life, saying that UFOs could be hovering over Earth. He said, "Of course, it is possible that UFOs really do contain aliens, as many people believe, and the government is hushing it up. I couldn't possibly comment!" His comments on aliens were made in light of the ongoing discussion about extraterrestrial life forms.