Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-20T16:16:01.201Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Fermi Question, Fermi Paradox: One Hit, One Out

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  04 August 2017

Charles L. Seeger
Charles L. Seeger*
Affiliation:
Physics and Astronomy, San Francisco State University, 473 James Road, Palo Alto CA 94306 USA

Abstract

Core share and HTML view are not available for this content. However, as you have access to this content, a full PDF is available via the ‘Save PDF’ action button.

Our understanding of the universe and the history of life on Earth suggests we may not be alone in the Galaxy. Today we are ignorant of where “they” are, if they are, as was Fermi when he asked, “Where are they?” Many scientists believe the way to seek for answers is to search for “their” radiated signature. (Hence SETI, now.) But some have argued persistently that since they are not here, they are not out there, and a few insist the situation is paradoxical. This note samples speculations supporting this view and concludes one cannot make a worthy paradox from absent evidence, a belief that interstellar travel will soon be a cinch, and a willingness to predict the distant future of intelligent species.

Type
Section VII. The Fermi Paradox and Alternative Search Strategies
Information
Symposium - International Astronomical Union , Volume 112: The Search for Extraterrestrial Life: Recent Developments , 1985 , pp. 487 - 491
Copyright
Copyright © Reidel 1985 

References

Adams, D., The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy; Crown Publishers, Inc. (1979)Google Scholar
Dick, S.J., Plurality of Worlds: The Extraterrestrial Life Debate from Democritus to Kant; Cambridge University Press (1982)Google Scholar
Kamminga, H., Life from Space – A History of Panspermia ; Vistas in Astronomy, Vol. 26, pp. 67–89 (1982)Google Scholar
Martin, A.R. and Bond, A., Is Mankind Unique? ; J.B.I.S., 36, 223–225 (1983)Google Scholar
Schneider, S.H., and Thompson, S.L., Cosmic Conclusions from Climatic Models: Can They be Justified? ICARUS, 41, 456–469 (1980)Google Scholar