Enrico Fermi
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Enrico Fermi: A Genius of His Time and the Extraterrestrial Question!
Enrico Fermi, the Italian nuclear physicist and 1938 Nobel laureate, was a man far ahead of his time in many ways. Renowned for his extraordinary intellect, he played a pivotal role in the development of the first atomic bomb—a scientific achievement of immense magnitude, though laden with ethical complexity. Fermi, however, is not only remembered for his contributions to physics but also for a spontaneous question he posed during a summer 1950 lunch at the Fuller Lodge of the Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico. In a conversation with Edward Teller, Emil Konopinski, and another colleague, the topic initially revolved around the possibilities of interstellar travel. But Fermi’s thoughts took a deeper turn, culminating in a simple yet profound question:
Where is everybody?
This seemingly casual inquiry about the existence and whereabouts of extraterrestrial intelligence is now known as the Fermi Paradox. It has achieved iconic status within scientific circles, particularly at S.E.T.I (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence), and continues to inspire generations of researchers.
Even in the early 1950s, Fermi delved into phenomena like the then-popular "flying saucers," which had captured public imagination since 1947. His contemplations revealed a mind deeply engaged not only with the physical but also with the philosophical mysteries of the universe. However, to call this a paradox may miss the point. It was more a question—a challenge that has since preoccupied SETI researchers and others. Why is the universe so silent? For decades, humanity has been broadcasting signals—both trivial and significant—into the cosmos, inadvertently via global communications and intentionally through space exploration. Yet, despite our efforts, there has been no reply. Why not? Perhaps there’s simply no one out there to receive our messages. The universe is vast and ancient. Since the Big Bang over 13.8 billion years ago, space has expanded to an estimated 92 billion light-years across.
You might wonder, how is that possible? While the speed of light is capped at 300,000 kilometers per second, space itself isn’t bound by this limit. Beyond the observable universe—those 13.8 billion light-years—lie another estimated 77 to 79 billion light-years of space expanding faster than light. This rapid expansion means that telescopes like Kepler, Hubble, or James Webb cannot see beyond this boundary. For us, the universe beyond remains dark and likely will forever. Distance is one barrier to contact; time is another. Civilizations could have risen and fallen countless times since the Big Bang. Then there’s the question of chance. Did evolution on an exoplanet even succeed in progressing from bacteria to intelligent beings? For this to happen, a planet must orbit its star within the "habitable zone," where conditions might allow for life as we know it. Even then, consider a water world. If intelligent life evolved on such a planet, electromagnetic communication—like radio waves—would be impossible due to the properties of water. These factors collectively suggest that we may never establish contact with extraterrestrial civilizations.
Here is an example in case you want to build a spaceship capable of reaching 25% of the speed of light: To accelerate a spacecraft with a mass of 100 tons to one-quarter of the speed of light, approximately 82,000 terawatt-hours of energy would be required. This corresponds to Earth's total annual energy consumption over 3,000 years. Such energy levels are inconceivable with current technologies, making travel at relativistic speeds a tremendous challenge.
And since we will never be able to visit an exoplanet—inhabited or uninhabited—for the reasons mentioned above, I feel sorry for anyone claiming to have seen a UFO (nowadays called UAPs—Unidentified Aerial Phenomena). I'll leave out the self-important folks who claim to have been abducted by little green men—that's just too ridiculous! UFOs remain unidentified flying objects, or now UAPs—Unidentified Aerial Phenomena. Nothing more! But they are certainly not visitors from outer space. It's far more likely that the unresolved UAPs/UFOs are secret military aircraft tests.
And as for interstellar travel? It's an equally daunting challenge. Science fiction lets us imagine boundless possibilities, but reality is far less accommodating. Reaching an Earth-like planet would take tens of thousands, if not millions, of years with current or even conceivable future technology. A spacecraft traveling at 10% of light speed—barely feasible—would require more energy than humanity could ever generate. Tragically, Fermi himself passed away in 1954 from cancer, likely due to the radiation exposure he endured while working on the atomic bomb. Yet his ideas, especially his "extraterrestrial question," live on, challenging humanity to look beyond the imaginable and into the infinite.
