The Fermi Paradox

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This theory basically outlines the contradiction between the lack of evidence of aliens, and the high probability that they exist. Devised by Enrico Fermi, he did a series of complex calculations that looked at the probability of life out there, and determined that we should have been visited long ago and many times over.

Basically, there are millions of stars out there, in a galaxy that’s billions of years old, and odd are, there are planets that can support life. Of those planets, some of them must have figured out interstellar travel by now. Then, to follow that logic, some one must have come to see us at some point. Given that we haven’t gotten any visits, there are three conclusions we can draw:

The first is that we’re truly a miracle planet and we are completely alone in the universe.

The second is that we’re first in the universe and it’s up to us to develop the space travel tech over the next million years.

Finally, that we’re not worth the aliens’ attention, so we’re bypassed, an no one talks to us.

Here’s why:

We’re not able to receive their signals

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Essentially, this theory suggest that aliens could be sending us signals, much like the ones we’re sending them, but we’re unable to comprehend the messages.

Maybe we don’t have the tech, or it’s on a different plane of comprehension that we’ll never reach.

Aliens are quietly observing us like zoo animals

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This idea suggests that we’re being watched from afar and studied. There’s a good chance that they are visiting, but they’re not engaging or drawing attention to themselves.

There are plenty of reasons for this, but the most common idea is that we’re not ready. We, as a civilization, need to meet a certain set of criteria, or they just want to leave us in our habitat for fun.

Everyone’s waiting on incoming contact, rather than reaching out – us included

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Essentially, it’s a waiting game. We’re all out here in the universe, but being passive when it comes to contact. We listen, but don’t really transmit. We want someone more intelligent to contact us. So us, the grey aliens, the bug aliens, and whoever else is out there, are just waiting by the phone, for a call that’ll never come.

You can read more about this theory HERE!

Intelligent civilizations’ lifespans are short and don’t overlap

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Compared to the relative age of the universe, we’re all here for a mere moment. According to this Reddit user, “The time span between when a civilization becomes capable of transmitting radio frequencies and when that civilization annihilates itself is so short that we seldom overlap.”

I mean, it makes sense. We just discovered radio waves in the 1880s, and have yet to crack interstellar travel, but we might just kill ourselves or destroy the planet, before we can really get out there.

Which leave the next intelligent civilization to wonder where everyone is.

Aliens exist, but they’ve made themselves undetectable

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In this theory, we just can’t find evidence, because they don’t want to be found. Maybe it’s to avoid potential danger and protect themselves from a greater cosmic threat. Or maybe, we’re not worth the trouble of engaging with.

We’re living in a simulation, so our reality is whatever the programmer want it to be

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This common theory suggests that higher beings created a simulation that we’re living in. Maybe it’s a research project, or a source of their energy, but they’ve erased all evidence of alien existence from our perception, because it’ll rock the boat. Therefore, if no one programs them in, we’ll never learn they exist.

Other intelligent life exists, but it’s insanely rare

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According to this popular theory, life can only happen under very particular, and highly improbably circumstances. Hence, there probably is intelligent life out there, but they’re uncommon, and the odds of crossing paths with them is insanely rare, if not impossible.

Space is an endless expanse, so this makes sense.

Life is so rare, that no other intelligent beings exist. It’s just us

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Somehow, we’re the only ones that made it. Perhaps it’s time to accept the existential reality that we’re alone in the universe.

That’s terrifying.

Advanced beings learned how to upload their consciousness to a simulated universe, so they’re not actually out there travelling

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According to this video, there’s a scientist named Kurzgestagt, who suggested a theoretical megastructure called a “Matrioshka Brain,” which could surround a star and have enough computer power for an entire species to upload their consciousness into and exist in a simulated universe.

Essentially, aliens could be living entire lives uploaded into a cloud, and not even bother cruising around space to find out what’s out there.

The obvious one: aliens exist, government’s know about it, but they’ve successfully kept it from us

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There must be some truth to all those alien encounters, abductions and sightings, right? The most obvious theory is that the governments of the world know, but they’re withholding the info from us, because it might lead to global hysteria.

Read more about it HERE!

Advanced beings are so far ahead of us that they see us as a primitive species, or no better than insects

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This is a scary thought. Neil deGrasse Tyson posed this theory and compared it to how we view monkeys. We share 98% of the same DNA, but are significantly more intelligent than they are. What if we’re only 1-2% different from aliens, but that makes us that much less advanced and civilized?

To them, we’re idiot pets, and not worth talking to.