Have you ever wondered if there’s a Galactic Empire out there? How long would it take a space faring civilization to colonize the entire galaxy? Remarkably even traveling at sub-light speeds this should be possible within a fraction of our galaxy’s lifetime. Which raises the question - why hasn’t this happened yet? Today we dive into the repercussions of “Fact A” - the simple observation that Earth has not been colonized by an alien civilization. I sit down with Prof. Jason Wright who has recently co-authored a new paper that provides the most sophisticated treatment to date of this problem, and what it means for our place in the Universe.
Interview with Prof. Jason Wright. Presented & Written by Prof. David Kipping.
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References:
► Carroll-Nellenback, J., Frank, A., Wright, J. & Scharf, C., 2019, "The Fermi Paradox and the Aurora Effect: Exo-civilization Settlement, Expansion, and Steady States", ApJ, 158, 117: https://arxiv.org/abs/1902.04450
► Hart, M., 1975, "Explanation for the Absence of Extraterrestrials on Earth", Quart. J. RAS, 16, 128: https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/1975QJRAS..16..128H/abstract
Video materials and graphics used:
► Opening Galaxy shot by Bridge Head Productions: https://tinyurl.com/uk774j7
► Abiogenesis animation by TheOriginOfLife https://youtu.be/j_flx26bU0Q
► Exoplanet animations ESO/M. Kornmesser: https://www.eso.org/public/videos/barnard-surface2b-v2-cc1/ & https://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso0915e/
► Galaxy zoom by Emilio Music Productions: https://youtu.be/AjRy6M1LJW8
► Microbiology footage from Nokia Small World in Motion Competitions: https://youtu.be/lQLsyf64xak, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aLftNakbifg, https://youtu.be/ZquzlvEEZq8, https://youtu.be/jOur9xoK4bE
► Sunset video by kagnet: https://youtu.be/JoyUUokcX5g
► Cave painting from Cave Art 101, National Geographic: https://youtu.be/ZjejoT1gFOc
► Rocket animation Егор Румянцев: https://youtu.be/QESuONPI7VY
► SpaceX Mars animation by SpaceX: https://youtu.be/-aGISgOB6n0
► Galactic colonization animation by ESA Advanced Concepts Team: hhttps://youtu.be/nlnlORplDTI
► Galaxy spinning animation by Huy Trường Nguyễn: https://youtu.be/VhowJ3OZ2BM
► Journey to Alpha Cen by ESO./L. Calçada/Nick Risinger (skysurvey.org): https://www.eso.org/public/videos/eso1241a/
► Exoplanet K2-18b by ESA/Hubble/M. Kornmesser: https://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/heic1916a/
► Galaxy fly-in by Batsaikhan Ariun-Erdene: https://vimeo.com/198713894
► Timelapse of AKSAP telescope by Alex Cherney: https://youtu.be/FDoDk4D2RAw
► Closing Milky Way shot by Alexandra Angelich (NRAO/AUI/NSF): https://vimeo.com/205561357
Movies/TV scenes used:
► Contact (1997)/Warnes Bros.
► Alien: Covenant (2017)/20th Century Fox
► Interstellar (2014)/Paramount
► Star Trek/Paramount
► Terminator 3: Rise of the Machine (2003)/Warner Bros.
► Alien (1979)/Warner Bros.
Music used, in chronological order:
► "Waking Up" by Atlas, licensed through SoundStripe.com: https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/3984
► Cylinder Five (http://chriszabriskie.com/cylinders/) by Chris Zabriskie (http://chriszabriskie.com/); licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
► The Sun is Scheduled to Come Out Tomorrow (https://soundcloud.com/chriszabriskie) by Chris Zabriskie (http://chriszabriskie.com/); licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
► Cylinder Four (http://chriszabriskie.com/cylinders/) by Chris Zabriskie (http://chriszabriskie.com/); licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
► Music from Neptune Flux, "The Oceans Continue to Rise" by Chris Zabriskie (http://chriszabriskie.com/neptuneflux/); licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/)
► "Selha" by Stephen Keech, licensed through SoundStripe.com: https://app.soundstripe.com/songs/7102
And also...
► Columbia University Department of Astronomy: http://www.astro.columbia.edu
► Cool Worlds Lab website: http://coolworlds.astro.columbia.edu
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