Fermi's Paradox

Given that simple life is likely very common, given it took only 500 million years after Earth's formation to form, but complex macroscopic life is likely quite rare, since it took 3.5 billion years to form, and intelligent technologically advanced life took another 500 million years after that. A species that found complex life would likely leave it alone given the rarity of it. Also with the vast resources of the galaxy I wouldn't think it likely they'd bother with colonization of Earth, especially now with an aggressive technologically advanced here to cause problems.

Also there is a real chance that interstellar travel is difficult, for anyone. Which would make actual visitations less likely. Telescopes and probes would likely remain a far more likely option. Once you can leave your planet, the solar system and sun's resources are very plentiful without having to go the extremely large distances of other solar systems.

I tend to think there are very few civilizations as advanced as us, maybe 2 or 3 per galaxy.

Brooks

--- In spacesettlers@yahoogroups.com, Joe Strout wrote: