Stars that become supernovae start off at least eight times heavier than our sun. They're so short-lived that, even if they have… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
The scientific issues that engage people most are the truly fundamental ones: is the universe infinite? Is life just a sideshow in… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
We do not fully understand the consequences of rising populations and increasing energy consumption on the interwoven fabric of atmosphere, water, land… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
Maybe the search for life shouldn't restrict attention to planets like Earth. Science fiction writers have other ideas: balloon-like creatures floating in… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
I'm a technological optimist in that I do believe that technology will provide solutions that will allow the world in 2050 to… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
We know too little about how life began on Earth to lay confident odds. It may have involved a fluke so rare… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
There's now, for the first time, a huge gulf between the artefacts of our everyday life and what even a single expert,… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
If we ever established contact with intelligent life on another world, there would be barriers to communication. First, they would be many… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
I suspect there could be life and intelligence out there in forms we can't conceive. Just as a chimpanzee can't understand quantum… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
Post-human intelligence will develop hypercomputers with the processing power to simulate living things - even entire worlds. Perhaps advanced beings could use… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
Once the threshold is crossed when there is a self-sustaining level of life in space, then life's long-range future will be secure… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
The first arrival of earthly life on another celestial body ranks as an epochal event not only for our generation, but in… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
From a personal perspective, I am disappointed that we have yet to really achieve a full understanding of the origins of life… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
“I'd like to widen people's awareness of the tremendous timespan lying ahead--for our planet, and for life itself. Most educated people are… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
“The sun has adjusted its structure so that nuclear power is generated in the core, and diffuses outward, at just the rate… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
There may be organic life out there, or maybe machines created by long-dead civilizations, but any signals, even if they are difficult… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
The first voyagers to the stars will be creatures whose life cycle is matched to the voyage: the aeons involved in traversing… — Martin Rees Copy Share Image
A monkey is unaware that atoms exist. Likewise, our brainpower may not stretch to the deepest aspects of reality. The bedrock nature of space… — Martin Rees Copy Share
When scientists are asked what they are working on, their response is seldom 'Finding the origin of the universe' or 'Seeking to cure cancer.'… — Martin Rees Copy Share
“The Sun contains about a thousand times more mass than Jupiter. If it were cold, gravity would squeeze it a million times denser than… — Martin Rees Copy Share
“We, and the visible universe around us, may exist only because of a difference in the ninth decimal place between the numbers of quarks… — Martin Rees Copy Share
Crucial to science education is hands-on involvement: showing, not just telling; real experiments and field trips and not just 'virtual reality.' — Martin Rees Copy Share
I have no religious belief myself, but I don't think we should fight about it. In particular, I think that we should not rubbish… — Martin Rees Copy Share
“More energy is needed to rise a millimetre above a neutron star's surface than to break completely free of Earth's gravity. A pen dropped… — Martin Rees Copy Share
The next humans to walk on the moon may be Chinese. Only China seems to have the resources, the dirigiste government, and the willingness… — Martin Rees Copy Share
If we ever established contact with intelligent life on another world, there would be barriers to communication. First, they would be many light years… — Martin Rees Copy Share
There is an ever-widening gap between what science allows and what we should actually do. There are many doors science can open that should… — Martin Rees Copy Share
An insect is more complex than a star..and is a far greater challenge to understand. — Martin Rees Copy Share
The physicist is like someone who's watching people playing chess and, after watching a few games, he may have worked out what the moves… — Martin Rees Copy Share
We are 'nuclear waste' from the fuel that makes stars shine; indeed, each of us contains atoms whose provenance can be traced back to… — Martin Rees Copy Share
Just as there are many Jews who keep the Friday ritual in their home despite describing themselves as atheists, I am a 'tribal Christian,'… — Martin Rees Copy Share
