fermi’s paradox asks us an important question

if drake’s equation tells us that the amount of inhabited planets in our galaxy

just our galaxy

is between 1000 and 100000000

then where are all the aliens?

fermi’s paradox gives us many theories, from very convincing and slightly sad

the size of the galaxy means we are unlikely to ever meet any other intelligent race

down to the ludicrous but still interesting

we are all living in a virtual reality game designed and run by sentient beings from the future

but the one i enjoy the most is that we are, in fact, just living in a zoo

that aliens discovered us at an early stage and decided to watch us

think a galactic gogglebox

extremely big brother

etc

when i wake in the morning i tend to turn on the news

even though every sinew stretches the other way

there is always a tinge of excitement in my mind

what’s happened now

what have we done to outstrip the depravity of yesterday

the reality is we have almost always fucked up bigger and badder than the day before

and since i read about fermi’s paradox

i like to imagine a small alien

gradually backing away from the enormous metal mesh that surrounds the earth

traumatised and crying

‘dont worry son’

the intergalactic zookeeper says

‘they don’t live very long’