Stephen Hawking had chilling alien theory that’s now plausible due to 3I/ATLAS

Hawking’s theories have resurfaced after 3I/ATLAS entered our solar system but he would want to prevent humans from welcoming aliens to Earth with open arms

The late Professor Stephen Hawking had a chilling “dark forest” theory about alien life 15 years ago – and it could be more plausible than ever.

Earlier this year his predictions about aliens resurfaced following theories about 3I/ATLAS, which NASA confirmed was a comet but had some believing it to have extraterrestrial origins.

A prediction he made in 2010, on an episode of Into the Universe, then resurfaced. He claimed the outcome could be similar to when Columbus landed in America, which wiped out many Native Americans and took over their land.

But Hawking also gave another chilling theory, dubbed the ‘dark forest hypothesis’, as to why we have not discovered aliens yet.

He said there could be a number of alien civilisations out there, but nobody wants to put themselves forward as that would alert more advanced civilisations to their location.

Prof Hawking believed that should therefore prevent humans from welcoming aliens to Earth with open arms. So if Prof Hawking was around today, he’d probably be urging scientists to tread carefully if 3I/ATLAS ever turned out to be more than a comet.

Luckily, NASA for now says it is a comet.

It said in a statement: “Comet 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth and will remain far away. The closest it will approach our planet is about 1.8 astronomical units (about 170 million miles, or 270 million kilometers).”

Back in 2010, Prof Hawking had said: “If aliens ever visit us, then the outcome might be similar to when Columbus landed in America, which didn’t turn out well for the Native Americans.

“We only have to look at ourselves to see how intelligent life might develop into something we wouldn’t want to meet.

“The forest theory was explained in further detail by Liu Cixin in science fiction novel, The Dark Forest, which confronts real life concerns about alien life form.

He wrote: “The universe is a dark forest. Every civilisation is an armed hunter stalking through the trees like a ghost, gently pushing aside branches that block the path and trying to tread without sound. “Even breathing is done with care. The hunter has to be careful, because everywhere in the forest are stealthy hunters like him. If he finds another life – another hunter, angel, or a demon, a delicate infant to a tottering old man, a fairy or demigod – there’s only one thing he can do: open fire and eliminate them.”