Do the failings of science answer the Fermi Paradox?

Why aliens are probably avoiding us.

Do you believe in cosmic intelligent life, aka aliens?

Most of us have pondered the Fermi paradox at one point, even if we have no idea what it is or why it is important. This puzzle plagues the science community, and many scientists have developed theories to solve this problem.

So what is it?

At its most simple, it asks the question: “Why haven’t we seen concrete signs of intelligent alien life?” It explains that mathematically, the odds are that we are not alone in this vast universe—in fact, they are quite the opposite. We should theoretically see all kinds of evidence of intelligent life based on how many habitable planets exist in the cosmos. But we don’t, and that—science says—is strange. Astrobiology is a subfield of astronomy that researches the potential for life in outer space. However, the discipline tends to focus on smaller, simpler forms of life that we may find within the bounds of our solar system.

Radio astronomer Frank Drake created the “Drake equation” in 1961, the algebraic formula that estimates the number of intelligent civilizations in the universe. Its critics point out that societies, like life, are born then die out—they don’t necessarily live on forever. So, a static formula may not be the best estimate of what’s out there. Regardless, most signs point to the idea that there should be life out there, so where off-earth is it?!

Some astronomers and people infer that intelligent life does not exist beyond us. Likely because the universe is so destructive and chaotic, life becomes extinct before getting too advanced. Some propose that we are the first intelligent beings of the universe and will be long gone before others evolve, while others suggest that intelligent life is too far away for us to make contact.

One recent popularized idea is that intelligent life inevitably destroys itself before it advances to interstellar communication or travel. Civilizations are doomed once they start because technology evolves faster than the mind can develop the morality to use it correctly. Though this sounds depressingly accurate, I think it naively projects human flaws onto all potential life.

Now, the Zoo Hypothesis goes in a whole other direction to explain our lack of alien contact. In 1973 astronomer John Ball constructed the theory that aliens are so much more advanced than humans; they deliberately hide their existence from earthlings and have set our solar system aside as part of an intergalactic wilderness preserve or zoo. Other proponents of this idea argue that aliens keep us to the side in some cosmic quarantine until we become valuable enough to them. However, this idea has received vast criticism, which boils down to the notion that there is no way all the advanced civilizations of the universe would agree and cooperate enough to hide their presence from our planet successfully. This would require a “synchrony” among advanced life that probably could not occur in the galaxy.

My theory challenges both the Zoo hypothesis and its critics, albeit mostly the critics.

I think the argument that cosmic intelligent life beyond ours would include humankind’s desire for war and colonization results from extremely limited thinking. Also, our scientific institutions were founded within a racist, patriarchal civilization and have been dominated by white men. We are crossing into the year of our lord 2022, and medical drawings that include Black skin are a recent, groundbreaking advancement of the science community. Our scientific progress is limited to our social progress, though the former claims to be the most advanced and accurate way of understanding and utilizing the world. 

Science decries the idea that some incredible cosmic club of advanced alien life could never exist because they can’t imagine how powerful beings might get along and work together for everyone’s benefit. This seems to me like colonized rather than creative thinking.

And I argue that the first step into the incredible cosmic club of advanced alien life is for a civilization to transcend its desires for war, domination, subjugation, and colonization. We are kept in a cosmic quarantine because our leaders would immediately try to harm or exploit life and resources outside of earth. Maybe we are in a galactic zoo because, as far as our world leadership goes, it’s not too far from a bunch of domesticated dogs trying to hump each other. We are incredibly advanced in technology, but we are very primitive with our interpersonal thinking and behavior as far as society goes.

Suppose aliens are conscious enough to reach and observe earth peacefully. In that case, I imagine they are patient enough not to reveal themselves to be greeted with attempts at execution or exploitation. Many intelligent civilizations would likely kill themselves before reaching serious sci-fi technology, and we may be one of them. But I think it’s even more probable that advanced life exists outside of our perceptions and assumptions about what it means to be alive in this grand multiverse. I picture them in cycles of awe and frustration with humanity as the struggle to transcend our harm within human nature fights with the powers that benefit and thrive from it.

We presume ourselves to be the epitome of advanced life, and maybe we wrongly personify the cognition and philosophical basis of alien morality and purpose because of it. Yet, can we call ourselves that advanced when we so easily succumb to violence and corruption while most of our population lives in unnecessary poverty?

We use technology for the primary purpose of generating wealth and prosperity for a select few—yet our age-old problems of war and poverty are continually left to the wayside and human suffering dominates our existence. And we have a very new and fundamental problem of climate destruction that directly results from our technological and industrial advancement, but we are horrifyingly slow at even attempting mitigation. Humans may take pride in our developing expanse of knowledge, personally and collectively. Still, few admit that the vastness of uncertainty and not-knowing grow faster as our intelligence expands. We know a lot, but there is so much more that we don’t. And what we do with our discoveries can often lack the compassion required to benefit the masses genuinely.

It’s also worth noting that humans are bored with exploring the depths of strange, incredible, practically alien life that already exists all over the planet. Fungi is the dominant life form here on earth. Yet, despite this kingdom’s vast potential for medicine and progress, we have comparatively little studies and science working to understand any of it. The field is left to enthusiasts and amateur mycologists for most of its exploration, and even though their findings are extraordinary, it seems that all we do is collectively shrug about it.

Humans demonstrate no interest in peacefully exploring the existing strange life all around us. On the contrary, our technology has perpetuated human distraction to the real-time destruction of our climate and civilization. It is probably as simple as advanced aliens recognizing that we are far from ready and willing to explore our consciousness and the physics of reality outside of our limitations here on earth. And I argue that not all intelligent species are doomed to self-destruct by nature, but those that survive to reach the heights of technology and intergalactic travel must have collectively overcome the parts of their nature hungry for death and destruction to do so.

I believe in aliens and that they are peaceful, loving beings that we cannot readily understand. And if this post happens to reach alien readers, please know that you are always welcome to my place for some coffee and conversation about this lonely planet—I’ll keep your secrets.