Professor Stephen Hawking backs new search for aliens

Image source, NASA

Image caption, Professor Hawking says intelligent life elsewhere in the universe could already be aware of us

Professor Stephen Hawking has launched a new project to find out whether there is life elsewhere in the universe.

The search for intelligent life in space is said to be the biggest yet.

The 10-year effort will listen for broadcast signals from a million of the stars closest to Earth.

The 拢64m project was launched by the Breakthrough Initiatives group at the Royal Society in London.

Video caption, One of the world's most famous scientists, Professor Stephen Hawking, is supporting the project

Speaking at the launch, Professor Hawking said: "Somewhere in the cosmos, perhaps, intelligent life may be watching these lights of ours, aware of what they mean.

"It's time to commit to finding the answer - to search for life beyond Earth.

"We are alive. We are intelligent. We must know."