Elon Musk has long been can not refuse from the idea of colonizing other planets. He collected thousands of employees at SpaceX, who build a ship Big Falcon Rocket, capable to transport 100 people and 150 tons of cargo to Mars. Today he has even more reason to keep your enthusiasm, thanks to a new study assess the probability of the existence of extraterrestrial civilizations.
The study of the future of humanity Institute at Oxford University says that we are alone in our galaxy with a probability of 2 to 5. The probability that we are alone in the entire observable universe is 1 to 3. Here’s what Musk said, citing the study:
It is not known whether we are the only civilization that currently exists in the observable universe, but any chance that it is, adds meaning to the extension of life beyond Earth.
That’s why we have to keep the light in the mind, becoming a space civilization and expanding life on other planets.
The destruction of the Fermi paradox
The study, entitled “the destruction of the Fermi paradox” was published June 6 in the Arxiv, a service for the exchange of scientific works, which were not yet on the court experts.
Recall that the Fermi paradox raises the question of the reasons why we still are unable to meet an extraterrestrial civilization, assuming that in the visible universe hundreds of billions of stars and hundreds of billions of galaxies.
Some scientists suggest that extraterrestrial civilizations destroy each other, due to various fears. Recently we told about the study in which it is believed that climate change destroys civilization faster than they can start to conquer space. But Anders Sandberg, Eric Drexler and Toby Ord of Oxford believe that there is no paradox
Three researchers have focused on the Drake equation. It strikes at the Fermi paradox, offering seven variables that affect the chances of existence of life. The result of the equation gives the approximate number of civilizations that could broadcast signals across the milky Way.
Studies based on the Drake equation was conducted before, but the three scientists believe that in earlier studies not all the variables is given due attention, and the result often depended on the expectations of the author of the study. In the end, some studies suggest the existence of more than 100 advanced civilizations in the galaxy, while others say that there are three civilizations 10 of thousands of galaxies.
The Oxford scientists reviewed research on all seven variables of the equation of Drake, after which each variable was transformed into a range of uncertainty based on all studies. The result is a bell-shaped distribution of results.
The average probability that we are alone in the milky Way was about 52 percent. And the average probability that we are alone in the entire visible universe – 38 percent. The most optimistic predicted probability of 41 percent and 32 percent, respectively. This dissolves the hope of meeting extraterrestrial civilizations, but gives Elon musk the more reason for their activities.
Forming colonies on other planets, we can protect against the possible destruction of not only our civilization, but perhaps the only intelligent civilization in the galaxy.
Elon Musk and the new study on alien life: we should go to Mars
Ernest Vasilevskiy