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To: All

Enrico Fermi the brilliant scientist who split the atom postulated “The Fermi Paradox”-—— the contradiction between the high probability that intelligent alien life exists in the universe and the total lack of evidence for it.

Fermi simply asks: if the universe is vast, ancient, and filled with billions of stars, “Where is everybody?”

The paradox hinges on a few straightforward observations:

The Numbers: The Milky Way alone contains hundreds of billions of stars, many of which are older than our Sun and harbor Earth-like planets in their habitable zones.

Given enough time, a space-faring civilization could colonize the entire galaxy within just a few million years—a mere blink of an eye in cosmic history.

Despite this, we have found no definitive radio signals, spacecraft, megastructures, or physical evidence of extraterrestrial life.

Why is the cosmos so quiet?

Scientists and philosophers have proposed various theories.

Space is literally quiet because it is a near-vacuum; sound waves require a physical medium
(like air or water) to travel, making the void of interstellar space completely silent.

However, the “silence of the universe” typically refers to the Fermi Paradox—
the eerie lack of detected signals, radio waves, or evidence from intelligent alien life.


16 posted on 07/14/2026 8:46:09 AM PDT by Liz (“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies the work of His hands." (Psalm 19:1))
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To: Liz

Space weather would probably interfere with any radio transmissions.


17 posted on 07/14/2026 8:49:39 AM PDT by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")
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To: Liz

In space no one can hear you laugh.


19 posted on 07/14/2026 9:00:33 AM PDT by Jeff Chandler (The issue is never the issue. The issue is always the revolution.)
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To: Liz

We are alone...


21 posted on 07/14/2026 9:10:08 AM PDT by Does so (Book:"The Party of Death"...Dem☭¢rats ™ ® © ≣ ½⅓⅔¼¾ ⅛⅜⅝⅞ ⅓ ⅕ ⅖ ⅗ ⅘ ⅙ ⅚)
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To: Liz

Why assume they come from planets or objects thousands of light years away? Why assume the almost impossible?

“perhaps these UFOs are programs that are briefly rendered real (as in taking on physical form) as they dip into our “reality” almost like a 3D-printed object, which begins as an idea and takes form as it’s “printed.”

I have long believed UFO’s come from alternate dimensions. UFO designed objects slip in and out of these dimensions. Designed by us when we leave our mortal coil. The last thing I want when I pass on is to sprout wings and play a harp on some cloud. My soul, my mind, still wants to be useful. We will all be teachers, inventors, designers, guides, comforters beside God.

John 14:2. “ In my Father’s house there are many mansions.”


39 posted on 07/14/2026 10:26:20 AM PDT by Auslander154 ("Political correctness does not legislate tolerance; it only organizes hatred." Jacques Barzun)
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To: Liz

I have my own opinion on this. Certainly not definitive, but when qe do SETI we point our radio telescopes at various sections of the sky and try to detect a signal that might be artificial. To do so, either the originating signal must be close by so that we can distinguish signals unintentionally leaking from the origin or it must be an intentional transmission to us from some farther origin. A leaking signal loses amplitude as the square of the distance, so more distant signals would be indistinguishable from background. What we do not do is send out an intentionally directed signal. We listen, but we don’t speak.

Why is this? Well, two reasons, one technical, one having to do with human nature. The technical reason is that if we sent a signal, what direction should we send it? We have a better chance of detecting a signal via a sweeping search of the sky than by sending a powerful signal in any particular direction. Maybe this could be less true once we further analyze exoplanet spectra and find potential bio markers - then it might make sense to transmit in that direction.

But IMO the real reason we listen rather than send is human in nature. Suppose we did find evidence of a relatively close ET civilization 100 light years away and we decided to send a signal. It would take 100 years for that signal to get there and another 100 years to get an answer back if there was an actual civilization to receive it. That’s 200 years before we’d know anything — anyone looking for ET civilizations would be long dead before getting the results. We are human - we don’t want to find out 200, 300 or 1000 years from now; we want to know now, so we listen rather than send.

What if there are other civilizations but they all think this way? Maybe they’re all listening and are spaced out far enough apart that the unintentional signals are undetectable.


58 posted on 07/14/2026 12:57:38 PM PDT by stremba
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