To avert extinction within the next century, astrophysicist Stephen Hawking has called on mankind to aggressively search for a new planet where we can live and thrive.

Hawking warned that time is no longer on the side of humans as life on Earth could be decimated by asteroids, climate change, population growth, and epidemics.

Like Us on Facebook

With these imminent threats, he said that future generations must find a way to ensure its survival in outer space. 

Hawking made the clarion call on mankind's possible extinction in an upcoming BBC documentary entitled "Expedition New Earth," which will be aired as part of "Tomorrow's World" science season.

"From the Atacama desert to the wilds of the North Pole, from plasma rockets to human hibernation, they discover a whole world of cutting edge research," the BBC said in a statement.

In the documentary, Hawking teams up with his former student Christopher Galfard to look into the most recent advances in astronomy, biology, and rocket technology which would enable humans to survive on Mars.

"The journey shows that Prof Hawking's ambition isn't as fantastical as it sounds - that science fact is closer to science fiction than we ever thought," the BBC's statement noted.

In his previous lectures, Hawking emphasized that human extinction could be brought about by the threats of nuclear war, genetically engineered viruses, and global warming.

In the meantime, the highly acclaimed physicist also asserted that artificial intelligence poses another major risk that could accelerate the demise of humans. Hawking pointed out that the extinction of mankind is a distinct possibility, as machines could rise and leapfrog humans in the evolutionary race.

In a frightening speech at Oxford University, he exclaimed: "We must also continue to go into space for the future of humanity.

"I don't think we will survive another 1,000 without escaping beyond our fragile planet," he added

However, Hawking ended his talk on the possibility of human extinction on a positive note, as he called for optimism and intellectual curiosity.