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Why is the cosmos so quiet? New theories to explain the silence

Why is the cosmos so quiet? New theories to explain the silence

November 12, 2023

Predators. Plagues. Asteroids. War. As humanity contends with existential threats, we can't help but wonder — what would it take to silence entire alien civilizations before a first greeting reaches us?

Or might extra terrestrial intelligence evolve into modes of being so foreign, with motives so divergent from our own, that even their concept of communication fundamentally changes? Perhaps they transcend their origins and disappear into inner space, no longer concerned with voices from the stars?

This weekend, we explore two fascinating theories that attempt to decode the silence between worlds. The truth remains uncertain. But one thing's clear — our cosmos most likely brims with wonders still awaiting discovery.

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Decoding the silence: New theories on finding alien civilizations

The question has confounded experts for decades: Given billions of hospitable planets, why do we still lack evidence of intelligent extraterrestrial life? This cosmic riddle is known as the Fermi Paradox. Now two intriguing theories have emerged that might help unravel why our cosmic neighborhood remains eerily silent.

One hypothesis suggests alien civilizations may destroy themselves before we ever hear them. Perhaps, like Cold War-era fears of nuclear armageddon, ET grapples with existential threats too, whether war, asteroid strikes, AI rebellions, or self-made climate disasters. Under this view (discussed in Part 1), annihilation vetoes first contact, leaving only ghosts of lost galactic companions.

But another compelling idea (discussed in Part 2) proposes advancement, not annihilation. What if exponential technologies allow aliens to transcend physical limits and adopt unrecognizable modes of existence? They may not die off but progress to states incomprehensible to present humanity. Alien priorities could shift radically as they shed organic origins for digital and virtual realms. They go "silent" not from destruction but evolution into exotic intelligences following different dictates.

This theory is known as the Transcension Hypothesis, first proposed by futurist John Smart. It speculates civilizations eventually “transcend” material obstacles and withdraw into compute-optimized “inner space.” Once digitally ascended, connecting across the cosmos may hold less meaning.

Of course, both prospects are speculative. Perhaps the truth combines elements of destruction and transformation. Or external forces are at play, like remote aliens purposefully avoiding contact that might disrupt less-advanced cultures. We may mistake lack of evidence for cosmic absence. After all, space is exceedingly vast, and detection capabilities remain limited

Famed astronomer Dr. Frank Drake wove existential fears into his influential Drake Equation, which estimates the number of galactic civilizations we could communicate with. He considered lifespan the most crucial variable. But must "going silent" imply extinction? Perhaps transcending physicality alters communication modes too.

Profound discoveries may await us if we persist in our search despite the silence. Until first contact, the Fermi paradox reveals more about ourselves and our prospects for survival than any extraterrestrial civilizations. But one remains certain - this cosmos is full of wonders awaiting discovery by those bold enough to seek.

Click below for Part 1 of Decoding the silence: New theories on finding alien civilizations

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