Why I Hope the Search for Extraterrestrial Life Finds Nothing
Posted4 months agoActive4 months ago
nickbostrom.comResearchstory
calmmixed
Debate
25/100
AstrobiologyFermi ParadoxExistential Risk
Key topics
Astrobiology
Fermi Paradox
Existential Risk
Discussion on the implications of finding extraterrestrial life, referencing Nick Bostrom's paper on the Great Filter.
Snapshot generated from the HN discussion
Discussion Activity
Light discussionFirst comment
1h
Peak period
2
1-2h
Avg / period
2
Key moments
- 01Story posted
Sep 12, 2025 at 8:43 AM EDT
4 months ago
Step 01 - 02First comment
Sep 12, 2025 at 9:52 AM EDT
1h after posting
Step 02 - 03Peak activity
2 comments in 1-2h
Hottest window of the conversation
Step 03 - 04Latest activity
Sep 12, 2025 at 10:14 AM EDT
4 months ago
Step 04
Generating AI Summary...
Analyzing up to 500 comments to identify key contributors and discussion patterns
Discussion (2 comments)
Showing 2 comments
r721
4 months ago
(2008)
javier123454321
4 months ago
The thing that breaks my head about the conversation about timescales in the universe is that it would seem that time as a phenomenon needs to be experienced subjectively. This means that the concept of the earth existing for hundreds of millions of years in a state able to harbor life before the first organisms appeared kind of does not make sense. If indeed the great filter is that first jump to life, then the moment after the big bang to the moment before life appeared is an instant. Measuring years in our understanding of the ticking clock before life simply does not make sense to me.
View full discussion on Hacker News
ID: 45221510Type: storyLast synced: 11/17/2025, 6:16:09 PM
Want the full context?
Jump to the original sources
Read the primary article or dive into the live Hacker News thread when you're ready.