dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaGeo-engineering Gone Awry: A New Partial Solution of Fermi's Paradox
| Authors | Milan M. Cirkovic, Richard Cathcart |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | physics/0308058 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0308058 |
| Journal | Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, vol. 57, pp. 209-215 (2004) |
Abstract
Another partial solution of Fermi's famous paradox is proposed, based on our increased understanding of geophysics, geo-engineering and climatology. It has been claimed in the recent astrobiological literature (for instance, in the recent controversial "rare Earth" theory of Ward and Brownlee), that geological activity of a terrestrial planet is an important precondition for the emergence of complex metazoan life forms. Technological civilizations arising on such planets will be, at some point of their histories or another, tempted to embark upon massive geo-engineering projects. If, for some reasons only very recently understood, large-scale geo-engineering is in fact much more dangerous than previously thought, the scenario in which at least some of the extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way self-destruct in this manner gains plausibility. In addition, we speculate on possible reasons, both physical and culturological, which could make such a threat even more pertinent on an average Galactic terrestrial planet than on Earth.
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"abstract": "Another partial solution of Fermi\u0027s famous paradox is proposed, based on our\nincreased understanding of geophysics, geo-engineering and climatology. It has\nbeen claimed in the recent astrobiological literature (for instance, in the\nrecent controversial \"rare Earth\" theory of Ward and Brownlee), that geological\nactivity of a terrestrial planet is an important precondition for the emergence\nof complex metazoan life forms. Technological civilizations arising on such\nplanets will be, at some point of their histories or another, tempted to embark\nupon massive geo-engineering projects. If, for some reasons only very recently\nunderstood, large-scale geo-engineering is in fact much more dangerous than\npreviously thought, the scenario in which at least some of the extraterrestrial\ncivilizations in the Milky Way self-destruct in this manner gains plausibility.\nIn addition, we speculate on possible reasons, both physical and\nculturological, which could make such a threat even more pertinent on an\naverage Galactic terrestrial planet than on Earth.",
"arxiv_id": "physics/0308058",
"authors": [
"Milan M. Cirkovic",
"Richard Cathcart"
],
"categories": [
"physics.geo-ph",
"physics.soc-ph"
],
"journal_ref": "Journal of the British Interplanetary Society, vol. 57, pp.\n 209-215 (2004)",
"title": "Geo-engineering Gone Awry: A New Partial Solution of Fermi\u0027s Paradox",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/physics/0308058"
},
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