New Theory, the “Simulation Hypothesis” Could Explain Why We Have Not Met Aliens Because Our Universe Could Be a Simulation — And Here’s Why We Can’t Find Them

Have you ever wondered why we have not met a single alien yet? With how big our universe is, it shouldn’t be that impossible and hard to meet another civilization, right? Now, countless theories are trying to answer this question. However, there is a specific hypothesis that we think could provide a unique explanation for this problem.

The “Simulation Hypothesis” did not explicitly involve any alien discussions in its arguments. But, since it is talking about the nature of our reality, maybe it may also provide a reason why we have not found aliens in the vast universe. After all, if we are really living in a computer simulation, then it could be the perfect explanation for why we are so alone.

What Is the “Simulation Hypothesis”?

The “Simulation Hypothesis” was popularized by philosopher Dr. Nick Bostrom, who published a fascinating paper named “Are You Living in a Computer Simulation?”. In this article, there are 3 main arguments that the author argues at least one must be true.

First, civilizations like the one we currently have today will go extinct before they can reach the level where they can start a simulated universe. The technological advancements required to create a world with sentient beings inside a simulation would be so difficult that our civilization is more likely to end up going extinct first.

Second, civilizations that survive are not interested in creating a simulation. These beings might not even try to develop the technology despite having the means to do so because of a variety of possible reasons, such as a lack of motivation, ethical concerns, or limits of resources.

The third is that we are currently living in a simulated universe, and that our very fabric of reality was the creation of a more advanced entity. These are the most important points in the paper, but you are probably wondering how this could explain why we have not met any aliens yet. So, let’s connect the hypothesis with the problem.

Read more: The Simulation Argument

Why This Explains the Missing Aliens

New Evidence For The Simulation Hypothesis? Donald Hoffman on The Simulation Argument

The “Simulation Hypothesis” could help explain why, despite all our efforts, we have not observed any evidence or signs of alien life anywhere. If our world or universe is really just a simulation, then the creators may not have included aliens in our observable reality.

The idea is like a video game, where the game masters designed our world to be the main focus. Maybe our own civilization already takes too many resources to maintain, and thus, the creators limited the simulation to reduce the complexity of the universe. We might be the only intelligent civilization in this simulation.

However, it is a different conversation if we theorize that there are multiple simulated universes out there, that could also have their own main characters or sentient life forms. In that specific case, there would be aliens, but in their own pocket universe, where we may never meet each other.

Could Aliens Exist Outside the Simulation?

Could aliens exist outside the simulation? Well, if you consider the creator of the simulation as an alien, yes, there could be. But we may be like characters in a video game that can never meet the players controlling them. We will probably also never meet any aliens outside the simulation, if this theory is right, and even if there are multiple simulations.

So, the answer to the question of the Fermi paradox, “Where is everybody?” could be solved by the limits of our simulation. The answer will most likely be, “They are outside.”, or “They do not exist in this simulation.” If our entire solar system or the whole universe is simulated, then no matter how good our telescopes become, we’ll never find the others.

Read more: Popular Mechanics

Could We Ever Prove We’re in a Simulation?

Simulation Theory Revealed | The Shocking New Physics of Reality

Scientists have long wondered whether our universe could be a simulation and, if it is, how we could prove it. When you’re playing a video game, sometimes there will be a glitch where a pixel is missing. In the real world, a sign of this could be a phenomenon that breaks the laws of physics, like pixelation in the spacetime continuum on a Planck scale.

Scientists have actually tried to test this experiment, because even general relativity and quantum physics do not function consistently at this scale or lower. So, some theorists speculate that, if there are any glitches in our simulated universe, it would be at or near this scale. So far, nothing has been detected.

However, there is an idea that the simulation hypothesis is an unfalsifiable theory. Because if the glitch was found, then it serves as proof, but if no glitch was found, then it could just be explained as an advanced simulation we are currently not capable of detecting. Thus, this hypothesis could be considered an untestable idea scientifically.

Author's Final Thoughts

The idea that we are living in a simulated universe is already fascinating enough, and utilizing that theory to help explain the world-famous Fermi paradox is just outwordly. We hoped you enjoyed this thought experiment article, and keep in mind that this was a theory on top of another theory.

Still, it is a mind-bending idea that could prompt us to change our question from “Where is everybody?” to “What has been programmed for us to see?”

Read next: Terrifying Idea, the “Dark Forest Hypothesis” Says Aliens Stay Silent to Avoid Being Wiped Out — Here’s Why Humanity’s Radio Signals Could Be a Mistake