A file photo of British physicist Stephen Hawking who appealed to investors to back his plans to travel to the closest star outside the solar system, with the hope that a habitable planet might be orbiting it. Photo: ReutersBeijing: British physicist Stephen Hawking has warned that the human race will perish on earth as growing population and massive power consumption would turn the planet into a sizzling fireball in less than 600 years. Hawking appealed to investors to back his plans to travel to the closest star outside the solar system, with the hope that a habitable planet might be orbiting it, The Sun reported. Alpha Centauri is one of the closest stars to our solar system, located four billion light-years away. Hawking is backing Breakthrough Starshot, a venture to reach this system within two decades using a tiny aircraft that could travel at the speed of light.

Source: Mint November 07, 2017 12:22 UTC