Robots will wipe out humans and take over in 'just a few centuries'

He even predicts their reign could last billions of years beyond human life on Earth. Life on Earth has already taken billions of years to evolve, from the early proteins and nucleic acids

that were the building blocks of life, through to the more complex mammals and homo sapiens. However, machine life has developed at such an extreme pace, that Sir Martin believes alien life

is likely to take the same form. According to him, humanity’s time on Earth is nothing more than a brief transitional phase between primordial organic life and the era of the machines -

which he’s dubbed a ‘post-human’ future. The cosmologist argues that this period could extend for billions of years into the future, particularly if machines develop the ability to explore

space, free from the confines of needing a planet, it’s atmosphere and biosphere to sustain them. Speaking to The Conversation - a not-for-profit charity - Sir Martin said: “My guess is that

if we do detect an alien intelligence, it will be nothing like us. It will be some sort of electronic entity.  “The period of time occupied by organic intelligence is just a thin sliver

between early life and the long era of the machines.  “Because such civilisations would develop at different rates, it’s extremely unlikely that we will find intelligent life at the same

stage of development as us. “More likely, that life will still be either far simpler, or an already fully electronic intelligence.” The Cambridge professor emeritus believes that while we

may be able to peer further out into space, travelling to distant worlds will remain out of our reach until we enter the post-human era. In his interview with The Conversation, he added:

“The journey times are just too great for mortal minds and bodies.  “If you’re immortal, however, these distances become far less daunting.  “That journey will be made by robots, not us.”