It is a very interesting observation that Fermi has asked "Where is everyone". The reason that I find this so interesting is it is exactly what my wife said when she first arrived in Canada from the Philippines. We were driving from the Airport at Vancouver to a suburb of Vancouver. She looked puzzled and I asked her what's wrong? She simply said "Where is everyone?" I guess because of growing up in a tropical climate where people were always outside and moving around she expected that everywhere, but when you come to a climate like Vancouver, particularly in the late winter people tend to stay inside.

There is two interesting things about what my wife said;
1. Just because things are a certain way where you are from doesn't mean they are the same everywhere.
2. Although not visible, the population of Vancouver is probably about 2.1 million.

Perhaps a similar analogy can be made of extra terrestrial civilizations. They aren't obvious because they aren't "out" in the open. Not that they are necessarily trying to hide, but just not visible in the open.

A good example of this is telecommunications and radio in general. Not that many years ago high powered AM, FM, and TV broadcasting over the air were the rule. This is rapidly changing in favor of cable or narrow band low power micro wave transmissions (Sat Radio). Or even leaving the radio spectrum all together for light (Optical cable). If this is the case the window of a civilization transmitting high powered RF energy over the airways may be fairly small.

I suppose the other side if there is alien civilizations that they are hiding their presence from us until they deem us fit to join in their civilization.

Think we will find out in the next 50 years!!!
fgs | 01.22.10 - 6:51 pm | #