The first is the fact that our solar system is locate at the very edge of the Milky Way Galaxy. In other words, we are so far in the back woods, that it would not be worth contacting us.
This is also the reason why I think we have not recieved in alien broadcasts. Or we may have recieved some alien broadcasts and thought is was just static because their forms of data encryption and data compression are to alien for us to understand.
The second is the fact that they would have to go through two asteroid fields to get to our planet, Earth. The first is the asteroid field that is right past Pluto. Then they would have to cross the asteroid field between Mars and Jupiter.
The third is that from what we understand, Earth has no real special resources to speak of. Also, if any aliens recieving our, radio, televsion and internet broadcasts: They would think the human race was completely insane. Which they maybe questionably right.
So what alien race would want to come to a planet that they would consider to far and to difficult to get to, with no special resources to speak of and forced to deal with a species they consider completely insane.
Considering all that I have just stayed, I would think twice before wanting to go to Earth.
The second is the fact that they would have to go through two asteroid fields to get to our planet, Earth. . . .
The third is that from what we understand, Earth has no real special resources to speak of.
2. Asteroids are actually infrequent. It's mostly empty space, really empty. Even the Kuiper Belt is sparse. It would ruin your day to hit one even so.
3. Earth is special, but probably only to us. It's probably not worth much in the grand galactic scheme of things. Not yet, anyway.
Those asteroid belts are located in the same plane in which all the planets orbit. Anyone could approach earth from "above" or "below" the orbital plane, and avoid all that debris.
First, we aren't waiting for them to contact us; we are listening to hear them talking to each other. If we have to wait for them to notice us and call, we'll be waiting by the phone for quite some time: it will take 30,000 years for our first signals to reach the center of the galaxy.
This is also the reason why I think we have not recieved in alien broadcasts. Or we may have recieved some alien broadcasts and thought is was just static because their forms of data encryption and data compression are to alien for us to understand.
The point here is that we haven't seen any signal at all. It's not a question of decoding it; it's a question of brightness. Any bright narrowband source at a fixed position on the sky would be counted as a candidate civilization.
The second is the fact that they would have to go through two asteroid fields to get to our planet, Earth. The first is the asteroid field that is right past Pluto. Then they would have to cross the asteroid field between Mars and Jupiter.
Patrick Henry is entirely correct, but it really isn't an issue in any case. Even if the aliens approached along the ecliptic plane--a good idea, since they could use gravitational slingshots and aerobraking around Jupiter and Saturn to shed momentum--the chance of them hitting an asteroid is vanishingly small.
The third is that from what we understand, Earth has no real special resources to speak of.
Same resources as are found anywhere else. If it's not worth coming here, it's not worth going anywhere.
Also, if any aliens recieving our, radio, televsion and internet broadcasts: They would think the human race was completely insane. Which they maybe questionably right.
God help us if they review our voting records.
Sigh.
They could come from a direction outside the ecliptic plane.
And the asteroid belt is not exactly a traffic jam. Most spacecraft will zip right through, without ever seeing a rock as big as your fist.
Ultra-powerful ETs who have solved the problem of interstellar travel would find the asteroid belt a laughably easy impediment. Indeed, NO impediment.
--Boris