user: By. Alasdair Glennie. William Shatner, 82, who played Captain James Kirk in Star Trek, claims it is a mathematical certainty there are living creatures on other planets because the universe is so vast. As captain of the USS Enterprise, he had daily contact with extra-terrestrial beings. And Star Trek actor William Shatner has revealed he believes in the existence of aliens in real life too… just not as we know it. The 82-year-old, who played Captain James Kirk in the hit sci-fi series and films, claims it is a mathematical certainty that there are living creatures on other planets because the universe is so vast. He told the Daily Mail: ‘I don’t think there is any doubt there is life in the universe, yes. I don’t think there is any question. 'The mathematics involved – what have they just discovered, 730,000 new planets the other day? - mathematically it has to be. ‘You can see life on this planet, so if you had anything approaching the conditions of water and temperature, the possibilities of life happening are certain.’ One of the best-known catchphrases from Star Trek is Spock’s reply to Kirk on spotting a new alien being: ‘It’s life, Jim, but not as we know it’. In fact, despite being wrongly attributed to the Sixties TV series, the phrase comes from a 1987 song Star Trekkin, sung by The Firm. Mr Shatner said he is just as uncertain about what form alien life will take in real life. He said: ‘Just how it happens we don’t know yet, though I’m sure we’ll know soon. The conditions conducive to life must be prevalent all over. Mr Shatner said he is uncertain about what form alien life will take in real life. Above, as Kirk in the original TV series, surrounded by alien 'tribbles' ‘It isn’t all barren rocks and exploding stars. There’s something going on in the universe, and we can’t be the only ones around, in my opinion.’ He added: ‘I’m a spiritual person [but] I don’t know about some of the religions and their dogma. I don’t have answers to the eternal questions like some people have.’ Humans will have settled on the moon ‘within 50 years’, and will have colonised Mars by 2100, Stephen Hawking believes. The astrophysicist went on to say: ‘Our planet is an old world, threatened with an ever-expanding population and finite resources. 'We must anticipate these threats and have a plan B. ‘If our species is to survive the next 100 years, it is imperative we voyage out into the blackness of space.’ As well as appearing in the original Star Trek television series, Mr Shatner reprised his lead role in seven of the spin-off films. He is currently the voice of a power-crazed paramilitary leader in children’s animation Escape From Planet Earth, which was released in cinemas last week. Mr Shatner insisted he is happy to be typecast in science fiction roles, saying: ‘It is not necessarily that I’m drawn to these films, but I suppose people put me and science fiction together and I don’t like to refuse the compliment.’ The Canadian actor, who has been married four times, said he has a love of speed and flying, just like Captain Kirk, and said his active lifestyle has helped him stay youthful in his eighties. He said: ‘I’m a pilot. I have gone so far as flying sail planes and doing power motoring, which is where you have an engine strapped to your back which weighs about 75 pounds and you run like hell. 'I have flown with the birds. I guess I am a real life Captain Kirk. I embrace flight.’ He added: ‘I am in good shape. I ride a lot of horses. We’re all afraid of falling but if you get so afraid that you tighten up then you’ll fall. 'I haven’t done any surgery. I don’t know the answer to people who ask how I stay looking good. I work out as hard as I can and as often as I can.’ Shatner said: 'The conditions conducive to life must be prevalent all over'. Above left, with the Star Trek crew.

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assistant: Shatner told Daily Mail: 'The mathematics involved – what have they just discovered, 730,000 new planets the other day? - mathematically it has to be'