Recent Theory, The “Zoo Hypothesis” Suggests Aliens Are Deliberately Ignoring Humanity — And Here’s Why They Could Be Avoiding Us

The Fermi Paradox refers to the question “Where is everybody?”, especially now that we have somewhat understanding of just how vast the universe is. There are countless stars and planets out there, just like the Sun and Earth, that could be the foundation of another civilization, so why have we not met any aliens yet?

We are a relatively young species compared to the age of the universe. If other lifeforms were able to develop earlier than us, are there any reasons why they have not visited Earth, or are they simply ignoring us? A recent theory called the Zoo Hypothesis was constructed by scientists to specifically answer this question.

What Is the Zoo Hypothesis?

The Zoo Hypothesis was first proposed in 1973 by an MIT scientist named John Ball, who states that more advanced Alien civilizations might treat Earth like a protected place that they do not want to disturb, like a “Zoo”.

This theory assumes that the aliens are more technologically and evolutionarily superior to us, but thinks it is better to stay away and just observe. John pointed out that as a human species, we have progressed faster in the 100 years of our existence than in all the years before it.

So, just think about how modern an alien civilization would be if it existed for millions or billions of years? They might possess some form of technology that we are not capable of understanding right now. Thus, allowing them to observe us, while remaining undetected, if that is their goal.

Read more: Science Alert

Why Might Aliens Hide from Us?

Brian Cox - Alien Life & The Zoo Hypothesis

Let’s assume that the Zoo Hypothesis is real and that there really are alien civilizations that are more advanced than humans but choose not to interfere with our growth. The next question would be, why would they choose to do so?

One reason could be that they want to preserve our own path, and should they communicate with us, it could change our trajectory as a civilization for good. So, that might be why they are ignoring us, until we are ready ourselves to meet them down the line.

Another reason could be “Uniformity of Motive”, which simply states that all more advanced alien societies agree to a certain universal law that they have developed to never interfere with young and underdeveloped civilizations like ours.

These are all reasons that have their own flaws, but they provide a thought experiment that supports the Zoo hypothesis. However, let’s question the theory itself. Is it realistic enough to be true?

Is the Zoo Hypothesis Realistic?

The Zoo Hypothesis could work as an idea if we assume that the civilization that set the rules is one of the oldest, and that many others followed it. However, its major flaw is the sheer size of the universe. Creating such a law where they ignore planets like ours, as we are developing, requires communication of some kind.

Across the countless galaxies, aliens far away might not know about the rule or might break it without an authority policing the rule. If light is the fastest thing in the universe, and even with its speed, it takes a long time to go from one galaxy to another, then the possibility of civilizations all around the universe agreeing to never disturb us dims.

For this theory to be strengthened, one would need to argue that a hegemonic power is maintaining its rule over the course of millions or billions of years, across long distances. Such as a founding civilization more advanced and older than the rest, to the point that everyone would need to follow it to not be erased.

Additionally, since they are advanced enough to make all the other civilizations follow their rule, it might also mean they can bypass the distance to communicate, such as by using a teleportation device or by harnessing wormholes. All of these reasons are now becoming close to science fiction or the limits of our current technology, but the point is, if the Zoo Hypothesis is real, then so far, no one has broken that agreement.

Read more: ArXiv Paper

What Does This Mean for Us?

The Zoo Hypothesis

If the Zoo Hypothesis is real, then it means there are alien civilizations out there already more advanced than us, and they are currently choosing to just observe our progression and ignore us for the time being.

It also means that our fate is entirely in their hands. There is hope that we could meet them someday, but it would take a lot, such as being smarter and more technologically advanced to the point that we are capable of communicating with them.

Furthermore, scientists have already launched several devices into space, hoping they could prove that aliens exist and that they may already be observing us. Unfortunately or not, at the time of publishing this article, there are no signs that have been detected yet.

Author's Final Thoughts

Someday, if we end up being the alien civilization that is more advanced than others, I wonder if we would also just observe and let others live their lives until they are on par or close to us.

The Zoo Hypothesis is not only a theory that explains the Fermi Paradox, but it also prompts us to think about what kind of civilization we want to be, and once we find out we are not alone, will we ever be truly ready for that moment?

Read next: Physicist Suggests He Knows Why We Haven’t Met Aliens Yet — And His Theory Is More Terrifying Than You’d Expect