Me in USA Today on SETI
But researchers such as Robin Hanson of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., wonder whether the big picture really looks so promising when it comes to advanced life. Hanson supports SETI but finds it telling that humans haven’t come across anything yet. “It has been remarkable and somewhat discouraging,” Hanson says, “that the universe is so damn big and so damn dead.”
More here, but little you don’t already know. The reporter and I discussed lots of interesting issues, such as burning the cosmic commons, but this is what made the cut. Other folks were cut entirely; I guess it pays to swear to reporters.
There are a lot of possibilities to explain this state of affairs other than the absence of life out there. Another possibility: Some civilizations are very hostile and other civilizations have learned to hide from the hostile civilizations.
The hostile civilizations could be quiet because they assume other intelligent species are just like them: dangerous and aggressive.
Could be we are being watched by some less hostile civilizations that are waiting to decide which category to put us in. Until we develop AI and genetically engineer offspring our future direction is unclear.
The Milky Way doesn't seem to be a Kardashev Type III civilization composed of Matrioshka Brains - or we would know about it!
Other galaxies are still fair game, though. Most of them are very distant. We have very little idea about what the atoms over there are being used for. Again, I think circular polarization will probably be the most obvious signature.
"High Circular Polarization in the Star Forming Region NGC 6334: Implications"
- http://www.aspbooks.org/a/v...