Here's a pop culture riddle for you: What do the Kardashians and aliens have in common?
Stephen Hawking says he'd like to meet them both.
The famed physicist, cosmologist, and space travel advocate announced his plan this week to team up with Russian billionaire Yuri Milner to purchase a fleet of tiny spaceships that could launch interstellar travel.
Hawking spoke about the future of the exploration project with ABC News. During the interview, Hawking, who speaks using a computer (as seen in The Theory of Everything), revealed that when he's not keeping up with the galaxy, he's keeping up with the Kardashians.
When asked how it feels to be a pop culture icon (he also appears on a few episodes of The Simpsons), Hawking replied, "I won't feel like a true pop culture icon until I've been on [Keeping Up With ] The Kardashians."
It seems to him, the family and their empire are synonymous with pop culture. It just goes to show that stars really do come in all shapes and sizes. Some are lightyears away. Others are on E!