Game theory helps focus the hunt for alien civilizations
Our galaxy contains billions of exoplanets. Now, using a mathematical model of how players compete, researchers think they’ve narrowed down which distant worlds are most likely to host intelligent life.
A new strategy may help SETI search for alien life while avoiding the Fermi Paradox.
Dotted Yeti/Shutterstock
The question of whether to send messages to the stars is fraught with difficulty. The big fear is attracting a more advanced civilization with nefarious intent. Why take the risk?
Indeed, various commentators have pointed out that this fear might explain the famous Fermi Paradox which asks why we haven’t heard from other civilizations. The answer being that either there aren’t any others or that the best strategy for survival is to keep silent lest a more advanced civilization find and destroy you.
But an interesting question is whether the paradox can be resolved in another way. Now Eamonn Kerins at the University of Manchester, U.K., says the paradox can be avoided by using game theory to determine how best to search for and communicate with extra-terrestrial civilizations.