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| A logarithmic illustration of the observable universe by Pablo Carlos Budassi |
Did you know that there are more stars in the universe than grains of sand on earth? The sheer number of stars that exist make it hard to imagine that alien life does not exist somewhere out there. Strangely enough we haven't seen it yet. No ancient alien ruins, no microbial life on Mars, no communication signal from the depths of space, nothing. Doesn't that seem a bit odd? If so, Enrico Fermi completely agrees. Welcome to the Fermi Paradox, a paradox that has perplexed scientists and philosophers since the 1950's. Enrico Fermi, best know for inventing the first nuclear reactor, introduced the paradox during a lunch break with friends. The question posed by Fermi during this casual lunch discussion has confounded thinkers for decades.
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| Photograph of the Milky Way galaxy from Unsplash |
NASA estimates that there are about 10 billion habitable planets in the Milky Way (our galaxy) alone. If only 0.1% of all of those planets harbored life, there would be 10 million planets with life on them in our galaxy. Not only are there ample opportunities for life to pop up, but it has had ample time to develop and colonize the galaxy. Colonizing the galaxy is a daunting task and would take around 10 million years to complete. However, our galaxy has been around for 13.6 billion years, giving plenty of time for mighty empires to rise and fall. So...where is everyone?
Since the paradox's inception, scholars have offered many solutions from differing communication strategies to technologies more desirable than galactic conquest. I will discuss two of the possible solutions in this blog.
The first solution we will explore has to do with a concept called Great Filters, and if it is correct, evidence of extraterrestrial life would be a death sentence for humanity. According to this theory, the reason why we have not seen any signs of extraterrestrial life is because there is some type of filter, an obstacle that most life forms encounter at some point, that is almost impossible to overcome. The critical question is have we already surpassed it? It is entirely possible that this filter is behind us. There are many notable events in our evolution that seemed to defy the odds. The conditions for life to exist may be more rare than we think. Earth's magnetic field, levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide, and the nutrients in its hydrothermal vents may be vital to the inception of life, but very uncommon for a planet to have. It is also feasible that intelligence is usually not evolutionarily advantageous. It often leaves an organism with less muscle mass and it has only happened once on our planet, as far as we know.
The alternative is much worse. It is altogether possible that the filter is still ahead of us. This could be climate change, nuclear war, an asteroid, a global pandemic that we didn't prepare for (whoops), or some kind of technology that we cannot even fathom. If we find evidence of life in the universe, it becomes more likely that the filter is still ahead of us because it means that whatever is stopping species from populating the universe would likely be ahead of whatever species we find. The less rare life is, the more likely the filter lies ahead. Microbial life would be bad. Multicellular life would be worse. And ancient alien ruins would be disastrous. There could also be multiple filters. If we pass one, there could still be more ahead of us.
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| Photo from Pinterest |
There is another solution that is on my mind tonight, as unsettling as it might be. We might be alone. Life on Earth might be it and outside of our planet there is just cold and lifeless space for the 46.5 billion light years that the observable universe covers. This thought is terrifying, but if it is true it means that we must take care of life on this pale blue dot. It may seem small on a cosmic scale, but it is the only home we have ever known and possibly the only home life has ever known. We must be conscious that if our actions lead to the ultimate destruction of life on earth, life all together may vanish from the universe forever. Our fossil fuels, forest destruction, pollution, and overfishing will not just lead to the extinction of a species, or even a planet. We may sterilize an entire universe, blinded by our own greed. But this will not happen. We must keep the flame of life on earth burning. If it is extinguished, it could leave our universe in absolute darkness.
This is a great topic to write about. I love reading about things like this because it's just so cool and interesting. Although, also spooky. It's scary to think that what may bring about our end is still ahead of us. I guess we just have to wait it out and see. ..
ReplyDeleteI think this is such a cool and interesting topic and I'm glad you wrote about it. I had never heard of the Fermi Paradox, although I have had similar thoughts about the universe and what lies beyond our solar system. I especially liked your conclusion because you're right, this could be the only habitable planet. I think it puts our greedy tendencies into perspective and I think you did a great job!
ReplyDeleteThis is so interesting and taught me a lot. I think more people should know about this topic because it makes the implications of climate change much scarier if we are indeed alone in the universe.
ReplyDeleteThis topic has always intrigued me... thinking about what lies beyond our planet and the possibility of life! I have never read about the Fermi Paradox, and while it freaked me out a little it also made me really think about the rarity of our planet and how we have to take better care of it
ReplyDeleteThis topic is super interesting. I like how you proposed the two different explanations as it gave me something to think about. The last paragraph about how we might all be alone reminded me of something I read in a CGI elective. I don't really know if it is more frightening to be completely alone or to know that we may not have passed the "filters" yet.
ReplyDeleteThis was an awesome blog to read! I loved how it went into depth and really made you think. This subject is really scary, but exciting to think about. I have always wondered what else might be out there in the universe. There is still so much we don't know and are in the process of finding out!
ReplyDeleteWow, this topic was super fascinating to read about. These kinds of topics really interest me and get me thinking about what is beyond life as we know it. The theory about the filters was super interesting to me, it's definitely frightening if we have yet pass through one.
ReplyDeleteI love this topic. The writing kind of reminds me of a NYT article... Anyway, I think that the possibility that we are the only life form in the universe is daunting, but not only that, I kind of think the thought of us being alone feels a little conceded. How is it possible that we're alone? That's insane. We've messed up our world so badly, and it's so scary to think that if we're over, so is humanity.
ReplyDeleteThis scared me in the best way possible. I always tell people that aliens definitely exist, but the idea that they don't and we're all alone is so much scarier. Beautifully written Miles!
ReplyDeleteThis is really well written and fascinating to read about! All of this is (the great filter, the fermi paradox, aliens) are very awe-inspiring but also very terrifying. This post explained something incredibly abstract with a lot of clarity, and I'm excited to share this with my family and friends.
ReplyDeleteSpooky article Miles. The Great Filter theory was really interesting to me. I feel like the only way a single filter could function is if the universe was linear or circular and either the filter or the universe was moving, resulting in an inescapable filter/wall of death. However, the shape of the universe is far from a settled question. Some astronomers subscribe to the theory that the universe is donut-shaped, others believe it is flat but boundless, others believe otherwise. If it is flat and boundless a filter would have to randomly move around in order to put out all life, this means that alien life, or evidence thereof may not be a death sentence, as the filter may have already passed. If it is a finite donut then a filter could be more constant. But, its an interesting theory. Another possibility is that part of the universe is colonized or occupied by life, and we have no idea (due to lack of technology). Thinking about Earth being all alone is pretty depressing. Really well written!
ReplyDeleteI did not fully understand the filter when I made this comment
DeleteI never thought about how probable it is for life to exist out in the universe similarly to how it exists here on earth. I have always thought earth was all alone, but after reading this, I realize how strange that is and makes me appreciate how life comes from a series of coincidences.
ReplyDeleteI've always thought about what's scarier, there being alien life that we don't know about, or we being alone? I thought this article was very cool (and scary) and that, in general, articles about something like this are so interested because of how unknown space and the universe is.
ReplyDeleteWhen people talk about alien life I always had that image of little green men but when you break it down, life can be simple bacteria or small organisms and its fascinating to know now that there are so many HABITABLE PLANETS. This article was cool and eye opening.
ReplyDeleteThe Great Filter is a fascinating thing to think about. Because on one hand you are happy that we probably made it through the great filter and on the other hand you are very worried that our inevitable downfall is upon us. But what makes me feel better about not understanding outer space and if aliens are out there is that the great filter is just a theory and not a definite thought.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree that humanity may be its own demise. Although I am less pessimistic that we may be alone, solely due to the extreme vastness of the universe, study after study has shown that we will not survive the next century and a half if we do not take care of ourselves and our planet. Let us all take this knowledge in that we are our biggest danger as a call to action to improve our world.
ReplyDeleteThis was so interesting to read. I think a lot about our earth and the planets around us, and I do not know whether it is crazier that we may be alone or that there is a huge event that will end us all coming up.
ReplyDeleteLooks like I learned something new today. Hopefully we will pass this filter unharmed and ready to save this planet. I'd certainly like to see where this world is headed.
ReplyDeleteI think it's funny that Fermi, of all places, ended up creating a famous scientific conundrum over a lunch break, or at least ended up reintroducing it (if it's true he didn't come up with it himself). I can say that I never fully understood exactly what the Great Filter was until I read your post, but now I am thoroughly terrified and fascinated. There honestly can be no way of knowing, I suppose, about everything that's going on out there. This was a great read!
ReplyDeleteWow this was so interesting. I have always thought there had to be other forms of life out there but the thought that we could be all alone is so scary.
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