I Hope the Search for Extraterrestrial Life Finds Nothing (2008) [pdf]
Does anyone have a detailed analysis of why we believe we have the technology to detect distant alien civilizations? Given interstellar distances, travel between stars seems unlikely without some new science we don&#x27;t know yet. Also, do we know we would be able to detect our own radio transmissions with our own telescopes from lighyears away? I think the great filter hypothesis always relied on the assumption that intelligent life would eventually develop Star Trek level technology and be extremely detectable, but what if we&#x27;re near the end of what&#x27;s physically possible with respect to energy production, speed, radio astronomy, and communications? What if the aliens are out there, but statistically so far away that we will never detect each other?