The question, originally posed by Italian physicist Enrico Fermi, wonders at why there are theoretically so many habitable planets in the universe, but humanity allegedly has yet to make contact with any form of intelligent life.
Bill Nye, CEO of The Planetary Society, decided to tackle the question in a short video. And for the famous science educator, the answer is simple: be patient. Nye believes that the one of the biggest barriers to making contact with alien life is just timing.
I reckon he makes a fairly good point and his explanation imparts a more positive slant when it comes to possible reasons for the silent blackness that we call space. Other theories believe that our civilization has yet to reach the Great Filter, an evolutionary wall that's nearly insurmountable but one all species face if they wish to survive. Others believe we have already passed the Filter, and we just haven't found another species that is as fortunate.
Hopefully the answer is as rosy as Bill Nye suggests—a classic case of phone tag.
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Original article by Darren Orf at Gizmodo.
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