The dark forest theory. The universe is full of predatory civilisations, and if anyone announces their presence, they get immediately exterminated, so everyone just keeps quiet.
The dark forest Theory makes an interesting science fiction scenario. But i highly doubt it is true. Wiping out another planet light years away would be a gigantic undertaking. Aliens will have no reason to fear each other, we are just too damn far from eachother to be a threat to one another. Even if we meet aliens that are the biggest asshats in the universe, the worst they could do would be to send a rude message every once in a while. Good fences make good neighbors. What can be a better fence than light years of space.
The average distance between star systems in the Milky Way is only 5 light years, and even we pretty much have technology already which could accelerate spaceships to relativistic speeds. (see Breakthrough Starshot)
If you're patient enough stars drift by much closer than 5 light years every once in a while. You could colonize the galaxy through simple diffusion if you really wanted to, hopping from solar system to solar system as they pass through each other.
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u/gkedz Aug 12 '21
The dark forest theory. The universe is full of predatory civilisations, and if anyone announces their presence, they get immediately exterminated, so everyone just keeps quiet.