Want to create an interactive transcript for this episode?
Podcast: Let's Get To The Bottom of That
Episode: The Celestial Quarantine Theory | Why Are We Alone?
Description: The celestial quarantine theory (also called the zoo hypothesis or interdiction hypothesis) is a proposed solution to the Fermi Paradox—the question of why, in a universe that should be teeming with intelligent life, we have detected no clear evidence of extraterrestrial civilizations.Advanced extraterrestrial civilizations exist in large numbers, but they have deliberately chosen to avoid contact with Earth (and possibly other young or developing civilizations). Humanity is effectively placed under a form of “quarantine” or non-interference policy, similar to how humans protect isolated indigenous tribes or set aside wildlife preserves. Earth is being observed, but not openly interf...