(MENAFN) Frederick Walter, an astronomer from Stony Brook University in New York, has put forth a provocative theory suggesting that the absence of contact with alien civilizations may be attributed to the devastating effects of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs). According to Walter, GRBs are intense bursts of light that possess the power to annihilate extraterrestrial civilizations, potentially sterilizing a significant portion of planets within a galaxy.
Describing GRBs as highly focused beams of light, Walter highlights the potential for these bursts to eradicate civilizations if directed through the plane of a galaxy. Based on his estimates, a galaxy may experience a GRB approximately every 100 million years, posing a significant threat to any advanced civilizations that may exist.
While Walter acknowledges the morbid nature of his theory, he emphasizes its plausibility as one of many potential explanations for the lack of alien contact. He suggests that over billions of years, a considerable number of civilizations could have been eradicated by GRBs, contributing to the silence observed in the cosmos.
Despite estimating that the Milky Way galaxy may have experienced around 45 GRBs throughout Earth's history, Walter reassures that the likelihood of such an event posing a threat to humanity is minimal. He notes the rarity and directed nature of GRBs, making them unlikely to impact Earth directly.
NASA describes GRBs as the most powerful events known in the universe, with origins dating back to their first observation in 1967. However, researchers assert that GRBs are more common in distant star-forming galaxies and are less likely to occur within the Milky Way.
Walter's theory offers a thought-provoking perspective on the potential challenges faced by advanced civilizations in the cosmos and adds to the ongoing debate surrounding the Fermi paradox, which questions the apparent absence of extraterrestrial life despite the vastness of the universe.
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