Prof Stephen Hawking: man faces nuclear armageddon and must colonise space

[hunter]

2. Mars ain't the kind of place to raise yor kids. In fact it's cold as hell...

Seriously, why do we need humans all over the galaxy? What good are we?

Now, if I could have a body adapted to run around Mars naked, feeling comfortable in all sorts of Martian weather, enjoying the open sky and the sunshine against my skin, well maybe then emigration would be worthwhile.

Frankly, it's possible our intellectual prodigy may leave earth, either bio-engineered beings or self-reproducing mechanicals, but humans as we exist now are too fragile and not quite smart enough to thrive in non-earthly environments. In fact we're pushing the limits in arctic environments and people have lived there for thousands of years. And it's only because air, water, and food already available naturally in abundance.

As humans we are clever, but the technological society we have is fragile, and may not make it even on the planet we are best adapted to.