Stephen Hawking delivers scathing joke about Donald Trump presidential campaign

The British physicist was talking at the announcement of the Starshot Project

Stephen Hawking was speaking during an announcement of the most ambitious space project yet (AP)

He may be a little preoccupied with his $100m project for interstellar travel.

But that ever become dull or humdrum, Stephen Hawking has revealed that he probably has what it takes to make it as a late night comic.

During the announcement of the Starshot Project, which will be funded by Silicon Valley philanthropist Yuri Milner, Hawking showed he had not only been keeping an eye on the more raucous aspects of the US election, but also that he still knows how to deliver a gag.

“What makes human beings unique? Some say it’s language or tools. Others say it’s logical reasoning,” he said. “They obviously haven’t met many humans.”

He was then asked what he expected intelligent alien life might look like. With what appeared to be a jab at the coarse and sometimes abusive rhetoric of Republican frontrunner Donald Trump, he said: “Judging from the election campaign, definitely not like us.”