Dark Forest theory: should we try to contact aliens?
Jinfo Mountain is seen under the Milky Way in Chongqing, China, Aug 24, 2022. (Photo credit should read CFOTO/Future Publishing via Getty Images)
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (FOX 2) - If you're in the middle of the forest - what do you do? Do you start an enormous fire or a small tidy one just to cook what you need and keep parts of your warm? Do you make as much noise as possible or do you try to hide out? Anyone who's spent time in nature or watched survivalist shows know the answers are a small fire and keep quiet. The reason is simple: you don't want to alert the predator.
This is the theory behind the idea of The Dark Forest. So how does it connect to aliens? We'll get there.
A new study says that finding aliens could have dire consequences on planet earth in more than one way. Scientists have discussed for years about the dangers of sending signals out into space and listening for replies.
The concerns are that any contact with aliens would be inevitably bad for humankind - and could result in more fighting among humans.
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But, for the first concern, the idea is that sending signals into outer space could tell aliens where we are. And it would also alert them that we are here and we have resources.
That's how we get to the Dark Forest theory. The theory requires you to think of the universe as a dark forest and we are better off alone in the dark forest than to alert a predator of where we are.
The predator - in this case, it is the aliens - would kill us and take our resources. Because they know where WE are but we don't know where THEY are, they automatically have the advantage and assume the top of the food chain.
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Therefore, the theory states that we are better served to stay in the dark forest and not alert aliens of our locations.
Tuesday on The Noon, Derek Kevra and Maurielle Lue had an incredible bonding experience over this theory. As for Lee Thomas? He was not interested in taking part in the conversation.
"If you agree with any of us, please hashtag the noon and let us know....yeah."
Where did the Dark Forest theory originate?
The idea of the Dark Forest was laid out in the science fiction novel The Dark Forest by Chinese author Liu Cixin.
The book is the second in a series that deals with how to best interact with potentially hostile life. The novel - remember, this is science fiction - says all lifeforms are risk-averse and want to save themselves, therefore contact of any kind is dangerous.
But could it be true? Bigthink.com examined the theory in 2018 and says that as we send signals out - whether intentional or not - other planets with life could be hiding in the ‘dark forest’ themselves and not sending signals out in response.
There are 200 billion stars and maybe 100 billions planets - it's possible there is some kind of life form on at least one of those planets.