The Fermi paradox is a paradox proposed by physicist Enrico Fermi that questions the possibilities of finding intelligent extraterrestrial life. More specifically, it deals with the attempts to answer one of the most profound questions of all time: "Are we (the earthlings) the only technologically advanced civilization in the Universe?". The Drake equation for estimating the number of extraterrestrial civilizations with which we might come in contact seems to imply that we should not expect such contact to be extremely rare. Fermi's response to this conclusion was that if there were very many advanced extraterrestrial civilizations in our galaxy, then, "Where are they? Why haven't we seen any traces of intelligent extraterrestrial life e.g. probes, spacecraft or transmissions?". Those that adhere to the premise behind the Fermi paradox often refer to that premise as the Fermi principle.
The paradox can be summed up as follows: The commonly held belief that the universe has many technologically advanced civilizations combined with our observations that suggest otherwise, is paradoxical, suggesting that either our understanding or our observations are flawed or incomplete.
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Case For Massive Black Hole Strengthened
Science Daily ^ | Feb 16, 2003 | Andrea Ghez
Posted on 02/21/2003 11:38:23 PM PST by ganeshpuri89
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/849217/posts
Can Intelligent Design (ID) be a Testable, Scientific Theory?
evidence.info ^ | 12/24/2004 | Rich Deem
Posted on 12/24/2004 5:58:44 AM PST by truthfinder9
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1307874/posts
The Electric Universe - The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence
Holoscience. com ^ | 4/9/2003 | Walter Thornhill
Posted on 05/03/2003 12:15:24 AM PDT by Swordmaker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/904988/posts
How likely is human extinction?
Mail & Guardian Online ^ | Tuesday, April 13, 2004 | Kate Ravilious
Posted on 04/14/2004 6:15:04 AM PDT by Momaw Nadon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1117351/posts
Looking to Lasers, Microwaves and Anti-Matter for Space Travel
Space.com ^ | 11/26/03 | Leonard David
Posted on 11/28/2003 1:49:27 PM PST by LibWhacker
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1030426/posts
NASA Unlikely to Build New Space Shuttle
AP Science News / Yahoo ^ | Sat Feb 1, 2003 | MATT CRENSON
Posted on 02/01/2003 8:26:17 PM PST by Magnum44
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/834209/posts
Reaching for Interstellar Flight
space.com ^ | 12/17/03 | Leonard David
Posted on 12/18/2003 8:37:33 AM PST by KevinDavis
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1042839/posts
The Starship Builders (Speculation on UFO Propulsion methods by Physist)
Stardrive ^ | FR Post 3-15-03 (Article update 1999) | by Kim Burrafato
Posted on 03/14/2003 6:19:01 AM PST by vannrox
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/864652/posts
[more specific]
Cosmic Conundrum [Brief essay on multiple universes and the Anthropic Principle]
Time ^ | Monday, November 22, 2004 | Michael D. Lemonick; J. Madeleine Nash
Posted on 11/26/2004 1:33:59 AM PST by snarks_when_bored
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/1288684/posts
Do aliens really exist?
thebelfasttelegraph ^ | feb-15-2003 | By Adam SagePosted on 04/18/2003 11:44:07 PM PDT by green team 1999
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/896203/posts
Earth Likely Spared From One Form Of Cosmic Doom (Gamma Rays Bursters)
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center ^ | Jan 23Posted on 01/28/2003 1:17:17 AM PST by ganeshpuri89
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/830905/posts
The Fermi Paradox - Are We Alone in the Universe
Posted on 05/19/2004 12:46:40 PM PDT by Conservomax
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1138670/posts
Fermi's Paradox II: What's Blocking Galactic Civilization? Or Are We Just Blind To It?
Space.com ^ | November 8, 2001 | By Seth Shostak, Astronomer, Project Phoenix, SPACE.com
Posted on 11/08/2001 7:52:53 AM PST by MeekOneGOP
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/566578/posts
Home Alone In The Universe?
First Things ^ | March 2002 | Fred HeerenPosted on 04/19/2002 6:07:56 AM PDT by Exnihilo
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On the Edge: Is Anybody Out There?
space.com ^ | 10/09/03 | Diane StresingPosted on 10/11/2003 6:18:56 AM PDT by KevinDavis
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Our Galaxy Should Be Teeming With Civilizations, But Where Are They?
Project Phoenix ^ | 25 Oct 01 | Seth ShostakPosted on 10/25/2001 9:13:53 AM PDT by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/556349/posts
Our Galaxy Should Be Teeming With Civilizations, But Where Are They?
www.space.com ^ | 10/25/01 | Seth ShostakPosted on 02/24/2002 3:53:44 PM PST by LarryLied
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/634469/posts
The Physics of Extra-Terrestrial Civilizations
http://www.mkaku.org/ ^ | unk | Michio Kaku
Posted on 11/03/2003 12:44:23 PM PST by Michael Barnes
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1013849/posts
Radio search for ET draws a blank
BBC News Online ^ | Thursday, March 25, 2004 | By Dr David Whitehouse
Posted on 03/28/2004 8:38:01 AM PST by Momaw Nadon
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/1106697/posts
Solar Systems Like Ours May Be Common, Study Shows
Business/Economy Extended News News Keywords: SEARCH FOR ORE
Source: space.com
Published: 4 Jan 01 Author: Robert Roy Britt
Posted on 01/04/2001 12:22:59 PST by RightWhale
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3a54dba3082c.htm
The answer to the paradox, so many stars, so few civilizations, could be that civilizations have a short lifespan. Even a lifetime of a million years would not be enough to guarantee that there would be another civilization inside the Milky Way. Since our own glorious civilization is maybe five thousand years old, we probably have no idea what it would take to get another million years out of our system.
FormerACLUmember: The paradox can be summed up as follows: The commonly held belief that the universe has many technologically advanced civilizations combined with our observations that suggest otherwise, is paradoxical, suggesting that either our understanding or our observations are flawed or incomplete.Well put. But the observations exist; they existed when Fermi made his famous (or infamous) bon mot. And they are rejected on a priori grounds.