London: Are aliens real, have they ever contacted Earth? There is no definite reason or evidence regarding this. Although there is discussion, there is nothing credible about it. Physicist Enrico Fermi found this strange. He introduced a formula in the 1950s that is now known as “the Fermi Paradox”. It is still important for the search for extraterrestrial life (SETI) and for sending signals through space (METI).
how old is the earth
The Earth is approximately 4.5 billion years old and life is at least 3.5 billion years old. Given the universe, conditions favorable for life are likely to occur many times.
So where is everyone? This issue plagues a character in the first episode of Netflix’s ‘3 Body Problem.’ The character, named Ye Wenjie, receives a message from an alien while working at a radio observatory. The sender of the message, calling himself a pacifist, urges people not to respond and also warns of an attack on Earth if they do not do so. To know the further story we will have to wait till the second season of the series. Or read the second book in the series, ‘The Dark Forest’ by Cixin Liu.
Does the book ‘The Dark Forest’ give the answer?
In the book ‘The Dark Forest’ it is said that there is no dearth of alien creatures in the universe and they are active in hiding themselves to save their existence. It states that different rates of technological progress make a constant balance of power impossible, leaving the civilizations that progress most rapidly in a position to wipe out any others. In this dangerous environment, those who play the game of survival best are the ones who survive the longest. This game was going on before we arrived, and the strategy everyone has learned is to hide. No one knowing the game would be foolish enough to contact anyone – or respond to any messages.
‘Do nothing in response to contact’
Leading astronomers Kelly Smith and John Traphagan said in 2020 that nothing should be done in response to contact, as doing anything could lead to disaster. He argues that we should avoid doing anything that reveals who we are. Defensive behavior will reflect our familiarity with conflict, so it will not be okay. Returning the message would reveal Earth’s location – also a dangerous idea. This differs from the assumptions of much Soviet-era Russian literature about space, which held that advanced civilizations would necessarily proceed from conflict, and therefore share a friendly attitude. It is no longer considered a reliable guide to protocol for communication.
There is no evidence of this
Misinterpreting Darwin Interestingly, the Dark Forest theory is almost certainly wrong or, at least, it is wrong in our universe. Darwin’s theory emphasizes the struggle for existence and the possibility of the winner surviving. Charles Darwin’s description of competition for survival is evidence-based. In contrast, we have no evidence about alien behavior, or competition within or between other civilizations. This makes for amusing speculation rather than good science, even if we accept the idea that natural selection can work at the group level, at the level of civilizations. Even if you assume that the universe operates according to Darwin’s theory, this argument is questionable.
there is dependence on each other
No real forest is like a dark forest. They are noisy places where co-evolution happens. Beings evolve together, interdependently, not alone. Parasites are host dependent, flowers depend on birds for pollination. Every animal in the forest depends on insects. Mutual relations give rise to encounters. This is how forests work in our world. Interestingly, Liu acknowledges this interdependence as an embodiment of the ‘Dark Forest’ theory.
People take the side of aliens
The viewer and reader are repeatedly told that “In nature, nothing exists alone.” This is actually a quote from Rachel Carson’s “Silent Spring” (1962). It is a lesson that tells us that insects can be our friends, not enemies. In Liu’s story, it is used to explain why some humans immediately go over to the aliens’ side, and why the desire to make contact is so strong, despite all the risks. This is why Ye Wenji ultimately responds to the foreign warning.
Will aliens be advanced?
Carson’s indications do not confirm the old Russian idea that aliens would be advanced and therefore friendly. But they help to create a more diverse and realistic picture than the ‘Dark Forest’ theory. For this reason, the ‘dark forest’ solution to the Fermi Paradox remains inconclusive. The fact that we can’t hear someone may indicate that they are too far away, or that we are listening in all the wrong ways, or that there is no forest and nothing to hear. (The Conversation)
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