Professor Stephen Hawking says, ‘we need to find a new planet - and soon’

Professor Stephen Hawking has said that the human race needs to develop technologies to find a new planet to live on – or face annihilation.

Professor Hawking spoke at an announcement event for next month’s Starmus festival in Norway – a combination music and science event at which Hawking will speak.

He said, ‘I am aware that there is speculation in the media at the moment about my prediction that we have 100 years to leave Earth.

‘I strongly believe that we will start seeking alternative planets for suitable habitation.

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‘We are running out of space on Earth and we need to breakthrough the technological limitations, preventing us from living elsewhere in the universe.

‘I am not alone in this view. Many of my colleagues will comment on this at Starmus next month.’

Professor Hawking also discussed recent scientific breakthroughs such as the discovery of gravitational waves, saying, ‘Perhaps one day we will be able to use gravitational waves to look back into the heart of the Big Bang.

Hawking will speak in front of his largest-ever audience at Starmus in Trondheim next month – alongside Buzz Aldrin and film-maker Oliver Stone.

Earlier this month, Professor Hawking has said that human beings need to leave Earth within the next 100 years to survive.

Professor Hawking made the controversial comments as part of the BBC’s new science season Tomorrow’s World.

Hawking claims that time is running out for Earth – due to climate change, overpopulation and other risks such as asteroid strikes.

In the show, Hawking and a former student Christophe Galfard will travel around the world to explore how humans could travel into space – and live there.