So about why aliens haven't contacted us

[Aerozord]

Now statistically there kind of has to be other life in the universe. Just too many possible chances for it to happen. People often talk about why then we have never made contact. One popular idea is we aren't advanced enough to bother with. But I think I know of a simpler reason.

They have absolutely no clue we exist.

Lets assume we are right and you just cant go faster than the speed of light. Heck even getting anywhere close is next to impossible. This makes interstellar travel very impractical. While a species would likely colonize worlds within its own star cluster there is little reason to go beyond it. While its likely for there to be sapient life in the galaxy, the chances of it being within a hundred light years of us is small. Then even if they do catch some stray radio waves and realize our civilization exists they aren't going to spend a few centuries to investigate a race that might be hostile assuming it still exists at all.

Its kind of like how we had so many hidden pockets of humanity up until very recently that were unknown to the rest of the world. there can be entire societies that exist, but randomly stumbling across them would be pure chance and in this case the chance is astronomically (heh, pun) low

[Seil]

Our planet has too much water and cold germs.

[Grandmaster_Skweeb]

I forget the technical term for it, but our lil solar system is tucked away in a veritable bubble o' significantly emptier space. If anything i'd go so far as to say we could very well be too isolated to be worth the time and effort to contact.

[Osterbaum]

Well from what I understand we aren't actually particularly isolated within our own galaxy. We are part of a type of star cluster where there are less stars than the other common type of star cluster. So it's all relative I suppose. Then again I think some theorize that the other type of star cluster would have less habitable planets because of it's relatively young age.

[Aerozord]

I think he might have been referring to the fact we aren't part of one of the main spirals but instead a small whisp coming off one. Like not only are there few in our cluster, but there aren't alot of clusters period around us.

[Osterbaum]

I am under the impression that we are pretty average as far as the galaxy is concerned.

But yeah if there is intelligent life right now in our galaxy, the most likely case is just that they haven't even found us.

[Seil]

Hang on, how are we defining 'intelligent life?' I'd go so far as to call most... some humans 'intelligent life,' but I'd even extend that so far as dogs, dolphins, primates - even crows are capable of learning and using tools.

It's definately possible that life in some form exists out there, probably that there's intelligent life, but a race that's perfected inter-galactic travel and is rocketing around and checking stuff out? I don't know.

Also, consider the idea that we are still developing - we have no contact with anything outside our own world. In galactic terms, we're that one tribe that hasn't had any outside contact. I feel safe enough in saying that if actual aliens do come across us, that are smart enough to create spaceships and junk, they're also smart enough to leave a developing planet like us alone. We're still dealing with racism, how do you think we're going to deal with aliens?

[Amake]

Closer to the center of the galaxy you'd have a shitload more stars close by, so you might think we're unlucky in that. But it'd probably take a seriously hardy form of life to survive with that kind of background radiation, so my guess is they don't develop as often. We've basically coasted on Easy mode and now we're running into the limited access to cooler stuff that makes you regret not picking a harder difficulty. But at least the game doesn't just end like that sumbitch Twisted Metal World Tour. . .

[Osterbaum]

I just had an exam on this stuff. Which I probably failed...

Anyway, some paper recently theorized life might be more likely to be found near the center where there are more stars. The paper was criticized, among other things, for not taking into account the possibility of star systems affecting each other at such close ranges so as to make the survival of life there less likely.

[Aerozord]

well a flaw most scientists make is we are basing assumptions on life similar to ours. No telling what crazy evolutionary tracks things could take.

Of course we need a planet in the "habitable zone" with water, carbon, oxygen and a large stabilizing moon. We evolved to survive in an environment like that. While it might be harder to survive at the galactic core the number of stars gives life alot more chances. Averages even out if something is only a tenth as likely and you are trying it ten times more often.

Sure it probably doesn't work quite like that but as long as the planet can remain relatively consistent for a few million years life has a chance to adapt to the changes.