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Dark Forest Theory: What If Intelligent Life Is Hiding From Us? | Smartest Year Ever (May 29, 2025)
Why haven’t we heard from aliens? Maybe the real question is: why would they want to be heard?
In this episode, Gordy explores the Dark Forest Theory—a chilling thought experiment that flips the Fermi Paradox on its head. What if space isn’t quiet because we’re alone, but because everyone’s hiding? Drawing from Liu Cixin’s sci-fi masterpiece The Three-Body Problem, this concept offers a gripping alternative to our optimistic search for extraterrestrial life.
Plus, we explore why some scientists, including Stephen Hawking, warned against broadcasting our existence—and why our most powerful space message is already out there.
If the universe is a dark forest… are we the only ones making noise?
Follow for more stories that make you a smarter, sharper conversationalist—every single day.
Sources:
Liu, C. (2015). The Dark Forest. Tor Books.
Britannica. (n.d.). Fermi paradox. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/Fermi-paradox
SETI Institute. (n.d.). Humankind just beamed a signal at space aliens. Was that a bad idea? Retrieved from https://www.seti.org/humankind-just-beamed-signal-space-aliens-was-bad-idea
Jha, A. (2010, April 30). Is Stephen Hawking right about aliens? The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/apr/30/stephen-hawking-right-aliens
#FermiParadox #SpaceMysteries #DarkForestTheory #ExtraterrestrialLife #SciFiPhilosophy #DidYouKnow #FermiParadox #StephenHawking #aliens #DarkForestTheory
Music thanks to Zapsplat.
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By GordyWhy haven’t we heard from aliens? Maybe the real question is: why would they want to be heard?
In this episode, Gordy explores the Dark Forest Theory—a chilling thought experiment that flips the Fermi Paradox on its head. What if space isn’t quiet because we’re alone, but because everyone’s hiding? Drawing from Liu Cixin’s sci-fi masterpiece The Three-Body Problem, this concept offers a gripping alternative to our optimistic search for extraterrestrial life.
Plus, we explore why some scientists, including Stephen Hawking, warned against broadcasting our existence—and why our most powerful space message is already out there.
If the universe is a dark forest… are we the only ones making noise?
Follow for more stories that make you a smarter, sharper conversationalist—every single day.
Sources:
Liu, C. (2015). The Dark Forest. Tor Books.
Britannica. (n.d.). Fermi paradox. Retrieved from https://www.britannica.com/science/Fermi-paradox
SETI Institute. (n.d.). Humankind just beamed a signal at space aliens. Was that a bad idea? Retrieved from https://www.seti.org/humankind-just-beamed-signal-space-aliens-was-bad-idea
Jha, A. (2010, April 30). Is Stephen Hawking right about aliens? The Guardian. Retrieved from https://www.theguardian.com/science/2010/apr/30/stephen-hawking-right-aliens
#FermiParadox #SpaceMysteries #DarkForestTheory #ExtraterrestrialLife #SciFiPhilosophy #DidYouKnow #FermiParadox #StephenHawking #aliens #DarkForestTheory
Music thanks to Zapsplat.