Why haven't aliens got in contact with us yet?

Morrus · Apr 2, 2016

I expect many of us know of the Fermi Paradox. If there are so many opportunities for intelligent life in the universe, then where are they?

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox

There are various solutions suggested to the paradox (it's badly named; it's not much of a paradox!) 20 common ones are listed at the above link, ranging from "they're here already" to "they don't exist" with a whole bunch in-between.

What do you think the answer is?

redmonde · Apr 2, 2016

That is why it called paradox because it can be possible truth. However, there is proof to be true.

was · Apr 2, 2016

For me:

...Intelligent civilizations are too far apart in space or time.

Morrus · Apr 2, 2016

redmonde said:
That is why it called paradox because it can be possible truth. However, there is proof to be true.

What?

Kramodlog · Apr 2, 2016

I like Charles Stross' answer in Accelerando. Basically, the singularity will stop us from exploring space. In space there is little energy to sustain the computers that contain the downloaded minds of intelligent life. Once aliens reach the singularity, they will huddle close to their sun (energy) and live many lives in virtual worlds instead of looking at the stars or exploring space. Aliens aren't reaching out to other life forms because they became cosmic introverts once they reached the singularity.

Some meat body aliens might leave their solar system before all life is downloaded into computers, but the singularity is inevitable for all intelligent alien life. So if these exiles settle near a sun, the singularity will catch up to them again. To find meat body intelligent life who is not threaten by the singularity, you have too look between the stars in the great vacuum of space, where energy and metal is rare to find the exiles of the singularity. Right now we are looking at stars and not between them when we are looking for life.

Ryujin · Apr 2, 2016

was said:
For me:

...Intelligent civilizations are too far apart in space or time.

Yup, time and distance. We've only been around for an eye blink and odds are slim that there's anyone in our immediate neighbourhood, who might hear our pitiful whimpers.

Tonguez · Apr 2, 2016

Rare intelligence is my go to. Humans are the most advanced race in the universe, every other life form is either primitive, unintelligent or gone extinct.

tomBitonti · Apr 2, 2016

One answer is an inversion of the question. Not, where is all of the alien intelligent life, but rather, what are we misunderstanding that we expect something (alien intelligent life) that to all indications just isn't there. One way to answer that is to take the Drake equation and see how to make the product very low. Since the Drake equation is presented as a multiplication of independent values, that can be further used to frame the question as a choice of terms of the equation as the most likely to be very small.

Thx!
TomB

Radaceus · Apr 2, 2016

Tonguez said:
Rare intelligence is my go to. Humans are the most advanced race in the universe, every other life form is either primitive, unintelligent or gone extinct.

What a sad fate for the universe if this is true, heaven forbid we ever leap off this rock in our current condition...we parasites.

MechaPilot · Apr 2, 2016

My answer is not going to be very uplifting.

Assuming that aliens exist, and that said aliens are capable of contacting us, I think they don't because we're a god-awful mess. Aliens probably think of our planet the way most of our planet thinks of the middle east, or of African and South American nations who have difficulties with rebels.

And don't forget our sphere of transmissions. If aliens are technologically capable of contacting us, they could well be able to read our sphere of transmissions through the cosmic static. If they can do that, then they probably see what we think of aliens. How eager would you be to contact a people who, based on the evidence available to you, believe that you are as likely to invade, or abduct and rectal probe, them as you were to make peaceful contact with them?