The paradox runs like this: 'if life is common in our universe, then there must be a lot of intelligent life forms. Why then, haven't we heard from them?'
It was a good question when first asked and it is getting better with every passing year.. We have been transmitting radio waves for about 80 years. Any races with the know-how to listen within an 80 light year radius (160 light year diameter) will have picked up our signals. If we (intelligent life-forms) are common then we really should have heard something from somewhere. But we haven't. So maybe we are not common. It could even be that we are quite unique, and therefore quite alone. In societies which have had a diet of Star Trek, Star Wars, E.T. etc, how would we cope with such a realisation?
2007-02-18
08:26:17
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16 answers
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asked by
JOHN D
2
in
Astronomy & Space