Quote:
Originally Posted by HarryT
I don't think many people would seriously suggest that there are no alien civiliations out there. There are something like 300,000,000,000 stars in our galaxy, and at least the same number of galaxies. We now know that planetary systems are the norm, rather than (as was thought at one time) the exception. To suggest that we are the only planet in the entire universe which has developed intelligent life really is the most monstrous egotism. ...
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And yet we still haven't found so much as even a simple radio message. I believe that the odds are overwhelmingly in favor of other extraterrestrial civilizations having developed in our galaxy, but the fact that we still have not one shred of evidence of their existence is disturbing. It leads to the disquieting speculation that perhaps advanced civilizations don't have a very long shelf life. Maybe the norm is for intelligent lifeforms to destroy themselves soon after achieving the capability to do so. It certainly isn't unreasonable to suppose that we're headed in that direction.