In a lecture on April 16 at the California Institute of Technology famed physicist Stephen Hawking said the big bang didn't need divine intervention.

The line to hear Stephen Hawking speak about the big bag and the origin of the universe was a quarter mile long. The Huffington Post says a second auditorium and a "jumbotron-equipped lawn" were needed to handle the crowd, which grew to 1,000 viewers.

Hawking began his big bang lecture with a creation story that came from African mythology. He then asked his audience the ultimate question, "Why are we here?" If you've ever read the "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" you'll know that the answer is of course, 42.

Moving on, Hawking continued with his big bang lecture, noting that people are still looking for divine answers to counter scientific questions.

Hawking jokingly asked, "What was God doing before the divine creation? Was he preparing hell for people who asked such questions?"

Hawking then dove into various scientific theories about the origins of the universe. He explained which theories have merit and which do not.

During the lecture, Hawking spoke about the decision Pope John Paul II made in 1980 to "admonish the scientific establishment against studying the moment of creation, as it was holy," according to the Huffington Post. 

Hawking then joked, "I was glad not to be thrown into an inquisition."

Hawking ended his big bang lecture stating that the future of the human race depends on further exploration into space. Hawking said, "I don't think we will survive another thousand years without escaping our fragile planet."