Why can't we see evidence of alien life? - Chris Anderson

View the full lesson: http://ed.ted.com/lessons/why-can-t-w...

Stand by for an animated exploration of the famous Fermi Paradox. Given the vast number of planets in the universe, many much older than Earth, why haven't we yet seen obvious signs of alien life? The potential answers to this question are numerous and intriguing, alarming and hopeful.

Lesson by Chris Anderson, animation by Andrew Park.

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  Education

[Carlos Peralta]

As curious as I am about extraterrestrial life, I'm glad other species haven't communicated with us. We can barely manage relations between countries. What makes other people think we can manage relations with species in other planets? Maybe we should get our crap together in this planet before moving on to others.

[rafaracil]

Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering.

Arthur C. Clarke

[saysitsmydad]

The Quote Actually goes

"Two possibilities exist, either we are alone in the universe or we are not, either one is terrifying"

-Arthur C. Clarke

[xanasantos1]

If we evolved at the same rate in our common Universe, which is so vast, then none of each of the possible existing civilizations has the necessary technology to travel in order to visit each other.

Hence we cannot encounter each other - yet.

[livingselfsufficient]

I am sure ET's are familiar with our primitive thought process and our govern through war approach. The difference in intelligence is probably similar to us walking by an ant hill and not even noticing or trying to stop to talk to the ants.

[Albert Einstein]

Spore.. nuff said.

[larry43062]

I think a lot of our problems are behavioral, from poor health, poor nutrition, genetic problems, and religion. What are the chances all the ET's have heard of Jesus Christ, God, Odin, Buddha, or Muhammed? Answer 0. Advanced ET's would have the answers to our problems. But a majority of people might see it as sacrilege, and that might be the reason Et leaves us alone.

[larry43062]

Perhaps Star Trek is right again.Harold white says he is now further along than warp drive, at least in theory.If other civilizations have developed FTL travel than they must have developed FTL communication.Once we can tune into that we might get quite an earful.And, once we start to travel among the stars we will no longer be able to be ignored.Soon in this century we will travel ad astra and we will also have a cure for aging. humanity will never be the same. We will grow up. Megafunding now!

[pumpuppthevolume]

Who aproved the white guy with the beard in there

[Shawn Ravenfire]

The idea of listing to space for radio signals from aliens is like what it would be if a primitive tribe in the middle of a jungle tried to find evidence of the civilized world by listening for the sound of drums. If there are aliens out there, they almost certainly have some way of sending signals way better than what we've got.

[thetrialshot]

We already have the evidence.. Government was just hiding it

[nels penderson]

The last thing they want to do is help us with technology. BC we are warlike and power-mad. Plus we believe in a a thousand different religions, and with help we would build battlestars and try and take over the universe. We could never do it, but were too stupid to not try and we would be the neighborhood jerk that causes trouble. They would have to bitch-slap us. We're better off like this.