Is a nearby advanced alien civilization out there waiting to pounce on Earth? Unlikely, says new study
A new study suggests that advanced extraterrestrial life may be rarer than previously thought because the evolution of intelligence depends on energy-intensive photosynthesis. Researchers argue that many nearby Earth-like planets may still be in a microbial stage of development.
Why it matters
This research provides a potential scientific explanation for the Fermi Paradox, suggesting that humanity may not face immediate threats from advanced alien civilizations.
edited by Gaby Clark , reviewed by Robert Egan
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Add as preferred source What would it be like to vacation in the TRAPPIST-1 planetary system? The poster invites you to "Take a planet-hopping excursion through the TRAPPIST-1 system." The star system was revealed by the TRansiting Planets and PlanetIsmals Small Telescope, or TRAPPIST, and NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope. Top photo: The TRAPPIST-1 Habitable Zone. Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech Science fiction suggests that life on other planets, if it exists, is likely far more advanced than life on Earth. A recent study suggests otherwise.
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