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arXiv:1705.03394physics.pop-ph

That is not dead which can eternal lie: the aestivation hypothesis for resolving Fermi's paradox

Anders Sandberg, Stuart Armstrong, Milan M. Cirkovic

Abstract

If a civilization wants to maximize computation it appears rational to aestivate until the far future in order to exploit the low temperature environment: this can produce a $10^{30}$ multiplier of achievable computation. We hence suggest the "aestivation hypothesis": the reason we are not observing manifestations of alien civilizations is that they are currently (mostly) inactive, patiently waiting for future cosmic eras. This paper analyzes the assumptions going into the hypothesis and how physical law and observational evidence constrain the motivations of aliens compatible with the hypothesis.

arXiv comments
Submitted to Journal of the British Interplanetary Society
Journal reference
DOI
Subjects
physics.pop-phPopular Physics

On Hacker News

Linked by 4 identifiable commenters in 4 comments across 4 threads, from Jul 2017 to Oct 2018. Found in 8 HN submissions from May 2017 to Oct 2023. Open submission discussions.

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Discussed in comments4 threads

  1. Scientists are looking for ways to put the simulation hypothesis to the test 1 comment

    • I think you are seriously overestimating our current understanding of the universe/physics. For instance we don't even know if our universe is finite or not, if it's infinite then your point is moot and you literally would have access to infinite compute. I disagree, I have seen…

      dubya23View on HNParent context

  2. What life could be like for civilizations 1 trillion years from now 1 comment

    • This goes together nicely with the Aestivation Hypothesis (https://arxiv.org/abs/1705.03394). If a civilisation puts itself on hold for a trillion years, just waiting around doing nothing, then when it wakes up the universe is much colder and it can do computations 10^30 times…

      OscarCunninghamView on HNParent context

  3. A New Theory on Why We Haven’t Found Aliens Yet 1 comment

    • Shortcut to full PDF: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1705.03394.pdf On a first reading, and accepting the major premises for the sake of argument, this seemed like the weakest point: The reader might wonder whether starting these computations now is rational since the universe is quickly…

      philipkglassView on HNParent context

  4. Dissolving the Fermi Paradox [pdf] 1 comment

    • Yeah, their institute just put out a quarterly update a few days ago: https://www.fhi.ox.ac.uk/quarterly-update-summer-2017/ . It mentions their previous Fermi Paradox paper, "That is not dead which can eternal lie: the aestivation hypothesis for resolving Fermi’s paradox"…

      kaj_sotalaView on HNParent context

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