[ExI] fermi question alive and well

[BillK]

On Wed, 27 Mar 2019 at 14:20, Dylan Distasio <interzone at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I fear the answer is that the probability of intelligent life evolving and getting to the space exploration level more than once in overlapping time frames is exceedingly low, which I hope is not the case.  I would love for this hypothesis and the other pessimistic ones that explain the radio silence to be proven wrong of course.
>
> On Wed, Mar 27, 2019 at 10:00 AM <spike at rainier66.com> wrote:
>>
>>
>> This question has been front and center in my mind for most of my life:
>> https://earthsky.org/space/meti-workshop-in-paris-fermis-paradox-great-silence
>>
>> I am no closer to an answer now than I was in my misspent youth.
>>

'overlapping time frames' is a big snag, I agree.
The universe is really, really big and distance = time delay - even at
light speed.
Those at the same level as us are probably too far away and at the
same tech level for too short a period of time.
Even if we do detect signals they will be from the aliens distant past.

And obviously more advanced aliens don't get to do big tech or spam
the galaxy - because we would see the results.

Maybe the drive towards intelligence means that civilisations gain
great power and either self-destruct or are forced into a quiet,
strictly controlled system in order to avoid destruction. It probably
all happens in the blink of an eye (in age of the universe terms).


BillK