Enrico Fermi was a famous Italian phycisist. In 1950, he stated this paradox:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_paradox
2006-08-07 21:24:36 · 7 answers · asked by Axel ∇ 5 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Astronomy & Space
Very interesting replies, thx! :-)
2006-08-07 21:37:28 · update #1
There are many explanations why it is difficult to contact other civilizations.
So, I decided to answer from the point of view of extra terrestrials discussing the problem of discovering us.
1. They are too far away. Why bother. They have already exploded several nuclear bombs. By the time we get their attention, they will have blown themselves up!
2. There are too many problems to solve right here on Xanadu. We have decided to spend the science money on developing a new water filtration technology.
3. There are 463,459 nearer planets that might have intelligent life closer than that one. We should study the nearer stars first.
4. That planet is orbiting a medium sized yellow star. Our calculations indicate that it would be too hot to sustain life. Next ...
5. We have sent out a probe to that planet. It will report back whatever discoveries it makes in 143 years. Next...
6. We have not detected any intelligent signals from that planet. Let's look elsewhere.
7. What do you mean my budget has been cut? I am sure this little planet 'Earth' (as they call it) is worth contacting. I am going to the great leader about this! You can be sure of that! Take your hand's off me, you stupid bureaucrat!
;-D E.T. Phone home!
2006-08-07 23:28:37 · answer #1 · answered by China Jon 6 · 4⤊ 0⤋
Great question
Fermi's Paradox was a dinner party gag....relevant back then in the height of the hysteria of UFOs; but mathematically proven to be incorrect and overly simplistic today...
DNA research (which has only happened massively in the last ten years to Fermi who was around in the 50s or around then) shows now the true probabilities of life's creation....the probability is just too tiny....
Consider the chances of all the right elements being in a location so small at the same moment that lightning strikes to create an enzyme (this has been tried successfully in a lab, they know the probability through the fossil records of the atmospheric make up as well) for the very first time.
couple this with 3 billion years of probability of evolution that no matter how many stars there are (conservative estimates are 100 million million)....even if we say that there stars have another 100 million million planets around them (which they don't) then the DNA probabilty is so much smaller than the improbability of life's creation that when the two are multiplied the answer is so close to zero that given the numbers involved many boffins are convinced we are actually alone in the cosmos...there is a far higher probability that we are alone than we are not!!
The size of the universe and the relative theories of space travel are completely irrelevant: the maths is the key
Once you understand the maths involved the Paradox fades into an amusement of faith rather than science...a modern day mathematical parable for the physicists, when they are let out of the lab!!
2006-08-07 23:07:14 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
We have been observing you for thousands of years. Over the centuries, your planet was a curious place to visit once or twice and was not considered very interesting . Sure, your wars showed us how undeveloped you are as a species and your infantile,(in cosmic terms) dependence on god concepts does not bode well for you. We are now showing an interest in you because it is not often that we get to observe a species commit suicide. You are so close to maturing as a sentient species and it will be a shame to see you kill yourselves. There are just not enough of you becoming rational enough to force the issue. You let the least among you determine your fate, so be it.
2006-08-08 01:57:33 · answer #3 · answered by iknowtruthismine 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe Fermi thought the universe was a bit smaller than we do? Just try to imagine the distances involved here, and then look at how insignificant we are. If there are truely so many more civilizations out there, there wil be many many many that are more interesting that us, and if there really arent that many, then that explains why none have contacted us, it all makes sense really...
2006-08-07 21:34:54 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
1) We could be the first intelligent civilization
2) We have not yet achieve warp drive
3) They came in the form of Dodos but we hunted them to extinction.
4) Their ambassadors ended up on our dissecting tables in Area 51.
2006-08-08 11:07:32 · answer #5 · answered by Alfer 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The relative "density" of civilizations in the universe is low. The "number" of civilizations out there is meaningless when compared to the size of the universe.
2006-08-07 22:08:00 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
maybe they've tried but we don't have the technology to recieve the comunication yet
2006-08-07 21:33:23 · answer #7 · answered by photoguy22 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋