dark forest hypothesis

English

Etymology

dark +‎ forest +‎ hypothesis. From the title of the Liu Cixin (刘慈欣) novel The Dark Forest (黑暗森林), from Chinese 黑暗森林, from 黑暗+森林. Coined by Chinese author Cixin Liu originally in Chinese, then translated into English.

Noun

dark forest hypothesis (uncountable)

  1. (SETI, ufology) A conjecture about why no aliens have been found after searching the entire sky for signs of extra-terrestrial intelligences (ETIs). A hypothesis describing the situation where all intelligent life hides the fact of their existence to avoid having other such life exterminate them, and would normally exterminate any life found to avoid in turn being exterminated, as this is the natural state of affairs for such life in the universe, be quiet or be killed.

Coordinate terms

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