Why can't we find aliens? The book "Three Bodies" has given us a lot of insight

I'm sure you're no stranger to Liu Cixin's original novel, "Three Bodies".

But today we are going to discuss the topic of why no aliens have been found so far. Based on the assumption of existence, of course.

But what does it have to do with the novel "Three Bodies"?

Before we get into the topic, I would like to ask a question: Have you ever heard of the Fermi paradox?

If not, it doesn't matter, it will be briefly introduced below.

We know that the universe is so vast, and in recent years there has been a succession of discoveries of habitable planets.

And precisely in such a situation, the Earth lives alone in the universe around the circle. In this case, it seems a bit far-fetched to say that life is unique to the Earth.

Suppose, hypothetically, that there is extraterrestrial life in the universe, or that the probability of its existence is high.

Why has no one been contacted so far?

If, for example, there are so many other civilizations out there, and the universe has dragged on for so long, these civilizations are probably at a more advanced stage than we are, surely at least one of them would be sending out messages or probes, or doing what we are doing. Desperately searching for signs of life?

That's the Fermi paradox, a quantitative estimate from a spatial perspective.

The answers to this paradox range from the optimistic to the scary.

Optimistic, it could be that we have not explored long enough, or that the other side has not sent signals that we can detect, so we cannot establish contact with aliens.

Scary, it could be that no aliens will ever reach a point where they can make contact with other species and self-destruct before they reach the required technology.

And next, a speculation on that theme from the Dark Forest laws of the science fiction novel "Three Bodies".

In a conversation between a sociology professor and a former astronomer and the mother of their dead friend.

The professor said that life there would struggle to stay alive and that there is no way to know the intentions of other alien species.

Some may be well-intentioned, and some may be hostile.

Even if life there were not hostile, it would still be expanding in a universe with limited resources, increasing the likelihood of conflict with other beings that need those same resources.

Given these factors, it is clear from the book that all intelligent life can only take the safest course of action: eradicate other lifeforms before they can do the same to them.

A famous passage in the book reads: The universe is a dark forest.

Every civilization is an armed hunter, stalking through the trees like a ghost, gently pushing aside branches that get in the way, and trying to be silent and trample.

Even breathing must be done carefully.

The hunter must be careful because the forest is full of stealthy hunters like him.

If he finds other beings - another hunter, angel or demon, delicate baby or toddling old man, fairy or demigod - he can do only one thing: fire and destroy them!

In this forest, hell is everyone else.

An eternal threat, any being who reveals his presence is quickly annihilated.

This is the picture of cosmic civilization.

It is also the explanation of the Fermi paradox.

What the book shows is not that we don't hear about other species, but simply because they have all been wiped out.

If even one species behaves in this way, then it is reasonable for all other species to remain silent and not advertise their existence to others.

However, the book also elaborates on the factor that although wiping out others before they do the same to you is the most rational action, aliens may not do so for practical reasons.

We can assume that you send a fleet of destroyers to another star system.

When the fleet gets there, your fleet will be at the same level of technology as when you sent it, and the people you want to attack will have advanced by centuries, if not millennia.

Thus, it may seem more beneficial for most civilizations to simply sit still than to hide in the dark forest with fear.