New Hypothesis, the “Transcension Theory” Claims Advanced Civilizations Don’t Expand Into Space But Turn Inward Into Other Realms — Here’s Where They Might Have Gone

Have you ever once thought about whether there are others like us outside the planet? The fact that we have not seen or met any aliens, despite the vastness of the observable universe, a phenomenon also known as the Fermi paradox, is a problem that has given rise to countless theories.

One theory in particular, named “Transcension Hypothesis”, suggests that we have not detected any signs of extraterrestrial life yet, not because of where we are looking, but how. It says that advanced civilizations do not expand into other galaxies; instead, they turn inward. Let’s explore what it means and where the aliens could be based on this hypothesis.

What Is the Transcension Hypothesis?

The Transcension Hypothesis was proposed by futurist John M. Smart, as he suggested that advanced civilizations evolve inwards. It means they try to become denser, smaller, and more efficient. A higher form of life that may eventually end up in places like black holes to reach maximum computing capabilities and densities.

John Smart utilized the idea from evolutionary-developmental science or also known as evo-devo, which shows that certain futures could be predictable depending on what paths were taken. In the Transcension hypothesis, this idea led him to theorize that the endpoint of an advanced civilization could be a shift to an inner space or realm, instead of outer space.

As a civilization pursues greater density and computational abilities, it may one day arrive at complex virtual realities. In other words, alien civilizations may become completely invisible to us because they could live in a transcended realm, and not as simple biological beings.

Read more: Universe Today

Why This Explains the Silence of the Cosmos

What If Humanity Could Leave the Universe? | Transcension Hypothesis | Unveiled

If intelligent alien lifeforms were headed into this inner path, then our telescopes and radio signals may be useless in trying to find and contact them. Because once a civilization arrives at this endpoint of transcended reality, their brains or minds could be deeply compact, efficient, and not perceivable to human eyes or current technology.

This theory offers a possible explanation for the Fermi paradox, which asks the question “Where is everybody?”. There’s no sign of intelligent life, no matter how hard we look, and despite how large the universe is, not because the aliens are gone, but maybe because they have transcended and become unreachable or recognizable to us.

How Might Civilizations Transcend—What’s the End Goal?

So, how might a civilization transcend, and where could the aliens be after reaching this point? Well, to answer this, think of how this hypothesis was described. Civilization turns inward, where they pursue extreme compressions of data, energy, space, time, and possibly all matter.

What other places in the Universe could offer this much compression? The answer is in black holes. This theory led to that destination as the end point, because it is a place where the maximum efficient density and compression could be reached. In other words, a black hole may act like a computer system to them, or it could offer a whole new universe, such as a virtual realm.

If they are still considered living, aliens may want to conserve energy as a civilization turning inward. Outward expansions usually use up a lot of resources, but for this type of development, the goal may be to use a little as possible. It could mean that radio signals and broadcasts, whether it is to receive or send one, could be seen as pointless or even harmful.

Read more: ResearchGate

What This Means for Our Search for Aliens

Accelerating Change & the Transcension Hypothesis - John Smart (interview p1)

The implications are simple: if the transcension hypothesis is right, then our way of searching for aliens could be wrong. We are so focused on being able to detect megastructures in space or signs of biological or technological civilizations, but aliens who have transcended may have already left all those signals we are still looking for.

John Smart proposes we should look in the places he calls galactic transcension zones. These are the zones where the signals vanished, as those may have been the places where the alien civilizations transitioned into inward realms of existence.

But what if the transcension process is similar to the natural birth of a black hole, where everything turns inward? Could the blackholes we are capable of observing right now, and even receive some signals from, actually be a hyper-advanced alien civilization? Well, this line of questioning may just be a leap of imagination from the core principle of the hypothesis, but it is aligned with the progression of the logic and the theory.

Author's Final Thoughts

The Transcension Hypothesis, proposed by John M. Smart, offers one of the most unique explanations for the Fermi Paradox. Why haven’t we met any aliens yet? Because maybe they have become a higher form of intelligence that chose to move into inward realms instead of expanding. That means the great silence we are experiencing is not because we are alone, but it might be a sign of advanced alien civilizations evolving beyond space itself.

Read next: New Theory, the “Post-Biological Hypothesis,” Argues Aliens May Have Abandoned Biology to Become Machines or Combine with AI — Here’s Why We Might Be Searching Wrong