there's no one there

It’s been a while since I raved on about physics or maths or some other clap-trap. But I recently re-watched the excellent “Wonders of Life” series on BBC4 and it got me thinking about us, how we got here and our place in the universe.

I’m now coming around to the thought that we are on our own here.  At least in terms of how far advanced we are. And my belief is based on the concept of infinity.

You see, the universe is infinite.  It’s at least 14 billion years old and still expanding.  It is theorised that civilisations exist for the tiniest fraction of time compared to those billions of years.  Akin, if you like, to the blink of an eye in relation to a human life.  The length of time that a civilisation with the ability to leave its planet can exist is even shorter.

So, for another civilisation to exist at the same time and stage of development as ours, then two infinitely tiny “blinks” have to co-exist at precisely the same time.  And I don’t think, however massive the universe is, those conditions are or even can be co-existing.

I think that many, many civilisations have come and gone over the life of the universe.  But statistically we must be the only one around at the moment.

Sure, there may be younger, more primitive civilisations out there.  And there are thousands and thousands of extinct ones. But, for now at least, I feel we are masters of the universe.

of course, I could be completely wrong