The smartest man in the world is throwing his vast expertise in with a Russian billionaire’s US$100 Million in an effort to seek out possible radio signals used by new life, new civilizations.  And Australia’s Parkes Observatory in New South Wales will be part of the effort.

“It’s time to commit to finding the answer, to search for life beyond Earth,” said Dr. Stephen Hawking of Cambridge at the launch of the Breakthrough Listen Project in London.  “Mankind has a deep need to explore, to learn, to know.  We also happen to be sociable creatures.  It is important for us to know if we are alone in the dark.”

Researchers have reserved time at Parkes and at the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, USA for an unprecedented search for radio signals that will commence in January 2016.  California’s Lick Observatory will seek out laser signals simultaneously. 

One thing the project definitely won’t do is broadcast signals out to space.  The scientists say it’s more important to listen to announce in this case.  Hawking warns that an advanced alien civilization might possess some of our worst traits. 

“A civilization reading one of our messages could be billions of years ahead of us. If so they will be vastly more powerful and may not see us as any more valuable than we see bacteria,” Hawking said.

The sole source of funding for the Breakthrough Listen Project is Russian Internet billionaire Yuri Milner.  Named after legendary Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first man in space, Milner has increased his funding of advanced science projects in the past few years.

“It is our responsibility as human beings to use the best equipment we have to try to answer one of the biggest questions: are we alone?” asked Milner.  “We cannot afford not to do this.”