The Fermi Paradox

My slides for Blinkist's learning session.

Presented on Feb 03, 2016, at Blinkist's HQ.

Transcript

1. “Where is everybody?” –Enrico Fermi
3. Some numbers… 1022 to 1024 stars/universe 100 Billion to 400 Billion stars in our galaxy 100 Billion to 400 Billion galaxies in universe
4. 10 000 stars out there! For EVERY GRAIN of SAND on every beach on Earth: vs
5. 22% to 50% Sun-like stars: Sun-like with Earth-like planet: For EVERY GRAIN of SAND in the world, there are 100 Earth-like planets 5% to 20% (size, temperature, luminosity)
6. % of planets that develops life 1% 99% % of planets with advanced life (like us) 99% 1%
7. Milky Way galaxy: 1 billion Earth-like planets 100 000 intelligent civilizations
8. Where is everybody?
11. * Type I Civilization * Type II Civilization * Type III Civilization Ability to use all of the energy on their planet Can harness all of the energy of their host star Blows the other two away, accessing power comparable to that of the entire Milky Way galaxy Kardashev Scale
12. So where is everybody?
13. The Fermi Paradox
16. Explanation Group 1: those explanations which assume that there’s no sign of Type II and Type III Civilizations because there are none of them Explanation Group 2: those which assume they’re out there and we’re not seeing or hearing anything for other reasons
17. The Great Filter
18. 1.We are rare 2.We are first 3.We are f*cked
19. We’re rare (The Great Filter is Behind Us)
20. We’re the First
21. We’re Fucked (The Great Filter is Ahead of Us)
22. Explanation Group 2: Type II and III intelligent civilizations are out there—and there are logical reasons why we might not have heard from them.
23. Possibility 1) Super- intelligent life could very well have already visited Earth, but before we were here
24. Possibility 2) The galaxy has been colonized, but we just live in some desolate rural area of the galaxy
25. Possibility 3) The entire concept of physical colonization is a hilariously backward concept to a more advanced species
26. Possibility 4) There are scary predator civilizations out there, and most intelligent life knows better than to broadcast any outgoing signals and advertise their location
27. Possibility 5) There’s only one instance of higher- intelligent life—a “superpredator” civilization (like humans are here on Earth)—who is far more advanced than everyone else and keeps it that way by exterminating any intelligent civilization once they get past a certain level
28. Possibility 6) There’s plenty of activity and noise out there, but our technology is too primitive and we’re listening for the wrong things
29. Possibility 7) We are receiving contact from other intelligent life, but the government is hiding it
30. Possibility 8) Higher civilizations are aware of us and observing us (AKA the “Zoo Hypothesis”)
31. Possibility 9) Higher civilizations are here, all around us. But we’re too primitive to perceive them
32. Possibility 10) We’re completely wrong about our reality
33. Closing thoughts: Whatever the truth actually is, it’s mind-blowing It’s a blow to our species’ self-esteem when comparing the universe to our small kingdom here on Earth We’re probably not as smart as we think we are
34. All credits are to WaitbutWhy.com Leandro Favarin