[ExI] 30 Solutions to the Fermi Paradox

[Dan TheBookMan]

On Mar 17, 2021, at 1:02 PM, BillK via extropy-chat <extropy-chat at lists.extropy.org> wrote:
> Not really 'solutions' - more like 'possible explanations'.
> But still a useful summary.
> 
> <https://medium.com/predict/30-solutions-to-the-fermi-paradox-aaabfce56280>
> Ella Alderson   Mar 17 · 10 min read
> ==============
> 
> Some possibilities seem more likely than others.
> Fundamentally though, the great distances involved make interstellar
> travel really difficult. Maybe that task has to be left for AIs to do.

I read Stephen Webb’s book years ago. It has 50 ‘solutions’ in that edition, but the update now has 75!

The problem with the huge distances argument is time and numbers: given enough time and enough attempts (by the same or other civilizations), you’d expect some to carry out expansion. You would unless their numbers are really low (there are no other or few space-faring civilizations) and they either don’t last or are very young. You have to explain why the numbers are so low or all space-faring civilizations are young (or both).

(If the numbers of them are not low and they are not all or mostly as young or younger than ours, then you have to also explain why they all manage not to do it. Every last one, since even one capable of doing it slowly would likely colonize or visit the whole galaxy in a few hundred thousand years. Imagine, for instance, most civilizations opt to stay home, but one weird one doesn’t and that one itches to colonize everything that’s not occupied or where there’s no pushback. That one would quickly — well, less than a million years — colonize the galaxy.)

But you know know all this, no?

Regards,

Dan