Tuesday, September 7, 2010

We are alone


We have been listening for radio signals from extraterrestrial intelligent life for over 50 years now and have found nothing. If intelligent life existed in our galactic vicinity and was interested in contacting us, we probably would have pick something up. The data we have is limited but so far it indicates that no intelligent life exists nearby.

Evolution has a core principle that humans are nothing special. We may in fact be maladaptive and drive ourselves extinct through destruction of our environment. According to evolution, roaches are much more successful than humans.

But what if we humans, as intelligent, self aware, space travelers are a million to one chance happening, a billion to one chance, a trillion to one chance. At some point, the story of evolution becomes totally inadequate as a description of who we are, where we came from, and where we are going. It is not that evolution is wrong. It is just that as a human core narrative, it is about as meaningful as gravity.

Just consider the possibility that we humans are alone in the universe. It is scary to contemplate as it puts enormous responsibility on us. On our survival rests the survival of intelligent life – period.