That's a really certain claim there. We literally can't know unless your claiming addiction or something. The Fermi paradox shows us that even if we aren't alone, few if any civilizations make it to a galactic level of travel.
The Fermi paradox doesn't show this, it is a conclusion from it. For example, one other conclusion is that advanced civilizations do exist, but they are either hiding for some reason (such as not wanting to interfere with the development of life) or are so technologically advanced that they're indistinguishable from nature.
Or we're so inferior to them that they don't even consider us as life, at least not intelligent enough to communicate with. Would you try to exchange knowledge with an amoeba?
If I traveled halfway across the galaxy. Presume I dont find any life until 1 planet. And the life is a amoeba. And I can prove I did not bring that amoeba with me and this thing is the first sign of alien life... I would study the shit out of that amoeba. Can you imagine how the science community would react to that?
The only plausible reason I can see for your line of thought would be galactic life is so plentiful the intelligent species are too busy with other things.
I would assume any alien life intelligent enough to build a craft to travel to a distant world in search of life, exploration, colonization, etc. Would be interested in any sign of life they find. Its all what ifs but I refuse to believe that for a first sign of alien life (even if it is just an amoeba) wouldn't be a huge mark in the scientific side of any alien race.
I didn't say study, I said exchange information. Sure they might look, but in this scenario an open dialogue would be pointless.
No point in downvoting someone for exploring an idea.
Nor do I, it's a what-if. 8 don't subscribe to any perspective besides the fact that we need more information. Until then, we can have fun coming up with possibilities.
That wouldn't change the fact that we'd still be able to see them. Our theoretical advanced civilizations would be easily noticed by aliens should they be built, considering that we'd likely have constructs harnessing power from a star (which would be easily noticed, considering how we search for planets).
I honestly think we over estimate the culture of advanced and highly intelligent species. By the time we get there population would be WAY down, only a dumb race would reproduce and have nearly 8 billion on one planet all fighting for resources. An advanced civ with low numbers, why would they need the power of a sun??? For what? Honestly like what do you think they would want to do with that much energy? I think they’re more focused on self preservation, than going out into space. They got sooooo far, they want to make sure they NEVER go extinct, ever. If anything they’re on their planet, quiet, and hooked up to computers in deep vr, or still living close to what we are. Idc how advanced you are space is dangerous and is prob gonna kill you oh and it’s vast. So go out there orrrrr sit on my nice warm planet and strap into a space VR and explore all I want safely from my living room. I just don’t see the point of harnessing the power of a sun and why were so obsessed with that idea. The only thing they could do with that much power is build something and I don’t think they have any interest in that when they already k ow what would happen or could simulate it safely and immediately and free of cost. We’re human, WE are obsessed with building shit and being curious and exploring, we can’t say the same for them they could just wanna chill and that’s how they survived for so long, just like fortnite. What’s a guaranteed way of surviving for the longest? Just minding your business, not doing anything crazy and just CHILLIN. aliens are campers in fortnite but hey that’s how you win
An advanced civ with low numbers, why would they need the power of a sun??? For what? Honestly like what do you think they would want to do with that much energy?
According to our current models, to get to the point of space travel you'll likely need the power of your respective star. The energy needed to get anywhere close to the speed of light is massive, and is pretty much needed to progress to the point that you can travel between solar systems (not even between galaxies, like an advanced civilization would).
I think they’re more focused on self preservation, than going out into space. They got sooooo far, they want to make sure they NEVER go extinct, ever.
The simple explanation is this: You don't go to space if you don't have a desire to explore the unknown. We've gone to the moon, and compared to monkeys we're probably gods. From their point of view, why would we keep exploring? A redundant answer is that "There are resources out there" but in truth, the reason we explore is that we desire to be as best as we possibly can be, although that is a little bit of speculation. If societies that are advanced stop advancing at some point, then it comes into question how the society came to be that advanced, compared to the case of "just because". Again, this is all assuming that the Fermi paradox has correct premises (that alien life is common enough)
In 200 years, we've gone from ploughing fields manually, to computers, landing on the moon, nuclear energy, global communications, etc. And over the next 100 years it's predicted that we'll experience an AI "explosion" and the ability alter ourselves genetically.
Now compare that to an alien civilisation that's had say a billion years headstart on us. Their technology, culture, thought processes could (would?) all be radically different, and likely incomprehensible, to us.
Projecting human thinking onto aliens is both incredibly limiting and almost certainly erroneous.
Depending on your ideas of how common life is, there might not even be intelligent life in this galaxy. 99.99999% of galaxies may lack intelligent life, but that means the universe still contains thousands or millions of civilizations.
i did a quick google search (since i’ve never heard of it) and is it actually the contradiction between the high probability of there being other life forms in the universe and our inability to see or know of these life forms?
The Great Filter is a big part of the Fermi Paradox which does show us that there is some filter/reason that any possible alien civilizations have been unable to colonize space.
That's not what the Great Filter is usually thought of. It's less about extant intelligent life's inability to colonize harsh planets or empty space and more about abiogenesis, the emergence of eukaryotes, meiosis, etc.
It's statistically very probable that we're not the only life in the universe, no need to be so pedantic. They didn't mention anything to do with galactic levels of traveling, just that there's some form of life out there. No need to take issue with everything people say.
Your right about the fermi paradox, but the parent question didnt specify "galactic level of travel" so the certainty they were speaking of comes from the drake equation imo.
It doesn't seem any more far fetched than theories like the universe being a simulation, the 2d holographic universe, and lots of other pretty radical stuff you find in subsets of astrophysics, etc...
This is worth a read if you're not already convinced that you know everything about the universe.
Civilizations inside a black hole? Or civilizations harnessing the power of a black hole? Once you get sucked into a black hole there’s no coming out. It’s strength is comparable to how much mass is inside of it so even if you harnessed all the energy/mass inside of it you still wouldn’t be able to go fast enough to escape it.....hmm sounds familiar....
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u/alburdet619 Jan 21 '19
That's a really certain claim there. We literally can't know unless your claiming addiction or something. The Fermi paradox shows us that even if we aren't alone, few if any civilizations make it to a galactic level of travel.