During the last few years of his life, the genius of our time - Stephen Hawking - made several predictions for the future. Some of these may seem quite shocking but are completely possible considering the condition of our planet.
Besides his inquiries into black holes, described in A Brief History of Time, and his theories about the expanding Universe, Hawking leaves behind research into artificial intelligence.
Based on his observations, Hawking has made several predictions about the future, which although not categorical, may be lent weight if we consider the events that have occurred over the past few decades.
What are the 3 most significant prognoses by the great physicist for the years to come? Find out below.
1. Our planet will become a fireball
The fact of global warming is difficult to deny, with the latest studies showing noticeable glacial decline. According to Stephen Hawking, a similar process transformed Venus into the inhospitable planet it is today. He was convinced that if humanity did not find a way to leave the planet it would become extinct because by the year 2600 the Earth will have turned into a fireball.
2. Artificial intelligence will lead to humanity's downfall
For some time, humans have been trying to develop technologies to make life easier but Hawking claimed that if we continued to modernize our gadgets, they would lead to our downfall. The astrophysicist believed that our technologies must not become more intelligent than us, as this would eventually lead to the degradation of humanity.
3. Establishing contact with extraterrestrial life would benefit us
Stephen Hawking always said that finding extraterrestrial life would be the equivalent of the Europeans discovering America. He posited that extraterrestrials would be benign rather than malicious, while establishing contact with them would advance humanity's knowledge.
