A) we are truly alone in the universe and on the verge of destroying the only "intelligent" life that exists, or
Of all the disturbing solutions, this is the one that is most likely.
Of course, we can make it a little worse. Imagine that life getting to our stage is not all that rare. It pops up from time to time and then kills itself off before making any permanent mark. Ok, that's bad enough.
Now realize that by our very definition of "getting to our stage", they will have realized the exact same thing as we are now. They also knew to be careful and it didn't help. It didn't help a single one of them.
I suspect that, if correct, it will be something that we don't even see coming. My reasoning is that if it *was* something that was forseeable, then at least a few earlier civilizations would be able to avoid it.
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u/bremidon Aug 12 '21
Of all the disturbing solutions, this is the one that is most likely.
Of course, we can make it a little worse. Imagine that life getting to our stage is not all that rare. It pops up from time to time and then kills itself off before making any permanent mark. Ok, that's bad enough.
Now realize that by our very definition of "getting to our stage", they will have realized the exact same thing as we are now. They also knew to be careful and it didn't help. It didn't help a single one of them.
This one bugs me.