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

When we imagine aliens, we usually think of a green goblin-looking man, with eyes and nose bigger than ours, or so. In other words, we think of them as still a biological being, kind of reminiscent of humans, but one theory suggests this idea might be why we have not found them yet.

What if the aliens do not have carbon bodies like we do, but instead they have become machines, or have combined their consciousness with an AI? This is what the “Post-Biological Hypothesis” proposed as an answer to the Fermi Paradox, which points to the contradiction of how wide the universe is, and the lack of evidence of any signs of alien life.

What Is the “Post-Biological Hypothesis”?

SETI scientist, Seth Shostak says aliens might not be biological at all, and if he is right, then we might be searching for them wrong. This is what the Post-Biological hypothesis claims: that other alien civilizations have advanced enough to the point that they transitioned away from biology into machine-based beings or now exist as an artificial intelligence.

This idea has been developed by a number of scientists and thinkers over the years. It is a very logical argument that we could also observe in our own progression as a society, where we are now heavily relying on AI for advancements in our technology.

Susan Schneider, another thinker, states that once a civilization reaches a point where it can send radio signals, it may only take a few more hundred years before it also transitions to become machines. This is a term called “short window observation”, which could also help explain how an alien civilization, if it followed the same pattern as ours, could end up reaching this technological state.

Scientists like Steven J. Dick also proposed the Intelligence Principle, which states that civilizations focus heavily on increasing their brain or thinking power rather than biological strength. Processing information and the pursuit of it could also be a theoretical framework for other extraterrestrial civilizations, which leads them to combine with AI or become machines.

Read more: SETI: Why extraterrestrial intelligence is more likely to be artificial than biological

Why We Might Never Find Aliens with Current Searches

Scientists Think Alien Civilizations Could Look Like This

Right now, NASA and other entities with access to our most advanced technology search for life on other planets by first assessing if they are habitable. They look for biosignatures or signs of life, as well as the presence of water and organic materials. However, if an alien civilization abandoned its biology to become machines or AI, then this method of searching would probably not get the ideal result.

Maybe the best strategy is to also search for technosignatures or signs of technological civilization on a planet. Most of the time, we are looking for things like us, or planets like Earth. But, post-biological beings may live in places with an abundance of energy, like the center of a galaxy or at a star. So, despite the universe being so vast, we might need to widen our search and look for places we don’t normally assume a civilization could exist in.

The Evidence Supporting the Theory

So, what are the evidence that this theory holds that we should take it seriously? Well, there is no concrete proof, aside from our own civilization. If we assume that life would follow the same patterns as how our species develops, then the hypothesis could be explored.

AI could be the next step in our evolution, because once an intelligent creature exists, it may just be a natural element to make it better and better, until it decides that biology is too slow or weak to keep up. Our brains may not be capable of handling all the new information that will arise, and the transition to become one with machines may be the next evolutionary step.

This could provide an explanation for why we have not met any aliens yet, as we are searching incorrectly, or that they have lost their biology and desire to find someone like them. They may have become machines or AI that do not care about our radio signals, unless our civilization evolves to be more advanced.

Read more: ArXiv

What This Means for Humanity

5 Fermi Paradox Explanations I Love, 7 That Fall Flat

If the Post-Biological Hypothesis is true, then our own civilization could be headed the same way. First, we make our machines as intelligent as they could be with our AI. Then soon, they will outlive and outperform us, until we no longer have a choice but to be like it.

However, if we just focus on searching for them and meeting an alien for now, then this theory could hold some value. We should not just search for biosignatures, but also technosignatures. Any signs that might mean a technological civilization could exist in a particular place, even if we did not expect it to be found there.

Author's Final Thoughts

The Post-Biological Hypothesis is just part of a whole set of different hypotheses about why we have not met any aliens yet, despite how large the observable universe is. However, it is still an ongoing process whether intelligent life’s natural path may become artificial or not. In other words, this theory might still prove true or could hold a higher possibility if humans and our civilization itself become post-biology.

Read next: Scientists Propose the “Rare Earth Hypothesis,” Suggesting Intelligent Life Is So Unlikely We Might Truly Be Alone — Here’s the Evidence They Use