Astronomers Adam Frank and Woodruff Sullivan, at the University of Rochester and the University of Washington respectively, published a paper in the May issue of the journal Astrobiology exploring what they call the “cosmic archaeological question:” “How often in the history of the universe has evolution ever led to a technological species, whether short- or long-lived?”
Frank summed up their conclusion in an op-ed for the New York Times, published June 10: “While we do not know if any advanced extraterrestrial civilizations currently exist in our galaxy, we now have enough information to conclude that they almost certainly existed at some point in cosmic history.”
We now have enough information to conclude that they almost certainly existed at some point in cosmic history.
, University of Rochester
