Our Milky Way galaxy may be teeming with alien civilizations, according to new research. We just don't know about it since they haven't visited Earth for millions of years. At least they didn't do it openly.
Last month, an astronomical journal published a paper suggesting that intelligent extraterrestrial life could be exploring the galaxy, using the movement of star systems to travel the Milky Way.
Fermi universe
This work was published in response to a question known as the Fermi Paradox, which asks why we have not yet found any traces of intelligent life in space. The paradox was proposed by the physicist Enrico Fermi, who asked: "Well, where is everyone?"
Fermi questioned the possibility of travel between stars, but since then the problem has become a general doubt about the existence of extraterrestrial life. Back in 1975, astrophysicist Michael Hart published a paper in which he suggested that enough time had passed since the formation of the galaxy 13.6 billion years ago for the formation of intelligent life capable of colonizing the Milky Way. Since there are no colonizers in the area, then, according to the scientist, there are no other advanced civilizations in our galaxy.
The new study offers a different perspective on the well-known question: maybe aliens are in no hurry and are strategically approaching space exploration?
Promotional video:
Jonathan Carroll-Nellenback, lead author of the study, told Business Insider that if you ignore the movement of the stars, you can come to two conclusions:
- Either civilizations do not leave their home planets
- Or we are the only technologically advanced civilization in the galaxy
The stars (and the planets in their systems) revolve around the center of the galaxy along different paths and at different speeds. In the process of such movement, some systems approach each other, so that aliens can simply wait for the next suitable approach to reach the next system during their centuries-old journey.
As a result of this strategy, civilizations may take much longer to expand their influence across systems. And since the solar system is located on the outskirts of the galaxy, we could have been completely ignored. Or, other civilizations could visit Earth millions of years ago, when humanity was not even in the plans.
Hyperlight speed
The proposed hypothesis that alien civilizations travel from system to system relies on the assumption that even much more advanced species have failed to find a solution to the problem of the size of the cosmos. It is so large that even if we find a method of travel with a speed close to light, it will take us tens, hundreds and thousands of years to simply get out of the local group.
In case the universe does not allow you to travel above the speed of light, then using the motion of star systems is not such a bad idea. The main thing is to wait for the right moment and make a leap to the next system.
Already taken
Even with the limitations, the researchers calculated that the Milky Way could be filled with inhabited systems that we know nothing about. And such a scenario is likely, even if we use the conservative speed and regularity of interstellar travel.
To date, astronomers have discovered about 4,000 planets outside the solar system, and none of them have any pronounced signs of life. However, if we take into account that there are hundreds of billions of stars in the galaxy, then there should be many times more planets. According to one estimate, there may be 10 billion Earth-like planets in the Milky Way.
Brief stop
Considering the theory of "jumps" by systems, alien civilizations could visit Earth several times over the billions of years of our planet's existence. They could even leave some traces, but since people appeared on the planet quite recently, it is not surprising that no clear signs of aliens were found.
Also, the aliens could see that there is already life on the planet and decided not to make contact. Because it is absurd to try on human ideas about colonization on aliens. When there is so much "real estate" in the galaxy, then a small planet somewhere on the very edge of the galaxy will be of little interest to explore.
One way or another, the researchers believe that you should not be upset by the "silence" of space. We have only recently begun to discover planets in neighboring systems, and there is still a lot to learn about the universe. In the coming years, our ability to analyze exoplanets will only expand, advancing our understanding of the galaxy.
Who knows, maybe tomorrow or in a year we will find the first planet with life.
Or maybe the aliens have repeatedly been on Earth in our times, but they are not yet ready for the first contact, considering us a civilization that has not grown to the required level.