The Alien Zoo Hypothesis is about explaining why there is no evidence of Alien contact with Humans on Earth even though the Milky Way and other Galaxies all have Planets that could potentially host life.
In order to fully understand the Alien Zoo Hypothesis, its necessary to consider the Drake Equation and the Fermi Paradox.
The Drake Equation’s Criteria For The Existence Of Alien Life In The Universe
The Drake Equation was developed by Frank Drake in 1961 in an effort to assess the many probabilities relevant to the existence of Alien life in order to determine the chances that Alien life existed on other Planets beyond Earth.
The probability of Alien Life existing is relevant to the Alien Zoo Hypothesis because it helps us to determine the likelihood that Humans are actually being observed in a Zoo by Extraterrestrial Alien Life.
His speculative equation considers:
i) the speed of star formation in the galaxy;
ii) the tiny proportion of stars with planets;
iii) the fraction of those planets which are habitable and develop life;
iv) the fraction that develop intelligent life.
If the likelihood that Alien Life exists is low according to the criteria set out in the Drake Equation, then it is unlikely that there is an Extraterrestrial observer of life on Earth which would make the Alien Zoo Hypothesis incorrect.
Fermi’s Paradox And The Probability Of Alien Life In The UniverseÂ
Before the formulation of the Drake Equation, Physicist Enrico Fermi suggested that Alien life was highly probable taking into account the number of galaxies known to exist, the number of stars within those galaxies and the number of Planets likely to orbit those Stars.
The other aspect of the Fermi paradox is the argument of likelihood given intelligent life’s potential to overcome scarcity by colonizing new habitats, it seems likely that at least some civilizations which are technologically advanced would seek out new resources in space and colonize their own and surrounding star systems if they existed.
In this way, the Fermi Paradox supports the Alien Zoo Hypothesis by suggesting that the high probability of Alien Life exists means that there is an equally high probability that Aliens could be observing Humans in a Zoo on Earth.
However, there is no substantial proof on Earth or anywhere else in the recognized universe of other forms of intelligent life after 13.8 billion years of the Universe’s history.Â
The issue is compounded further by the fact that no alien artifacts have been found on Earth or in Space.
Perhaps the answer may lie in the fact that such artifacts may be found in unexplored regions of Space where Inter-Stellar Travel is possible.
Nevertheless, this doesn’t explain why the galaxy hasn’t been colonized already by more technologically advanced Species.
These agruments all contradict the idea that Alien life exists which in turn casts doubt on whether the Alien Zoo Hypothesis is correct.
The Alien Zoo Hypothesis Explains Why There Is No Alien Contact With Earth & Humans
In an effort to address these questions, Bell suggested that the absence of Aliens or evidence of their existence wasnt actually a Paradox when he proposed the Alien Zoo Hypothesis which speculates on the existence of technically advanced extraterrestrial life and also the reasons it does not contact humans, instead choosing to simply observe our species as if we were in a Zoo.
In essence, the Alien Zoo Theory suggests that extraterrestrial life deliberately stays away from interaction with Earth because Humans are not ready for contact.
In addition, its been argued that similar to Star Trek’s Prime Directive, Aliens do not contact Humans in order to allow natural and social evolution to occur without Interplanetary inteference.
This scenario therefore proposes that Humans are in-fact in some kind of Cosmic Zoo where we are observed in a manner similar to the way we ourselves observe animals in a Zoo.
In this arrangement, the Aliens can see us, but we cannot see them.
Conclusion: Is The Alien Zoo Hypothesis Correct Or Valid?
In the final analysis, the idea that all Aliens abide by an Ethical code of non-inteference seems unrealistic.
There is nothing to exclude the equal possibility that some Alien Species would choose to conquer and colonize surrounding Planets.
As such, the Alien Zoo Hypothesis as it is presently understood can be criticised on a number of grounds and its correctness may be doubted.
Maybe Aliens do not make contact with us Earth because there is truly nothing out there in the Universe except Human Civilization.
