Gulp

Anybody know someone who needs a roommate on the Moon? According to Stephen Hawking, author of "A Brief History of Time" and (insert potentially offensive wheelchair-bound man joke here), the human race will have to eventually relocate off planet Earth in order to survive.

The British astrophysicist told a news conference in Hong Kong that humans could have a permanent base on the moon in 20 years and a colony on Mars in the next 40 years.

"We won't find anywhere as nice as Earth unless we go to another star system," added Hawking, who arrived to a rock star's welcome Monday. Tickets for his lecture planned for Wednesday were sold out.

He added that if humans can avoid killing themselves in the next 100 years, they should have space settlements that can continue without support from Earth.

"It is important for the human race to spread out into space for the survival of the species," Hawking said. "Life on Earth is at the ever-increasing risk of being wiped out by a disaster, such as sudden global warming, nuclear war, a genetically engineered virus or other dangers we have not yet thought of."

(I like the part about the "rock star's welcome." Dude, I'm not sure about Hawking's new stuff. This end of the world stuff is a little too experimental. Still, it was awesome to hear Chapter Six from "Brief History," man.)

If given the choice between the Moon and Mars, I'm picking the Moon. Mars seems like a place that's cool to visit but you wouldn't want to live there.