Zoo hypothesis

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The zoo hypothesis is one of a number of suggestions that have been advanced in response to the Fermi paradox, regarding the apparent absence of evidence in support of the existence of advanced extraterrestrial life. According to this hypothesis, aliens would generally avoid making their presence known to humanity, or avoid exerting an influence on human development, somewhat akin to zookeepers observing animals in a zoo.

Adherents of the hypothesis consider that Earth and humans are being secretly surveyed using equipment located on Earth or elsewhere in the solar system which relays information back to the observers. It is also suggested that overt contact will eventually be made with humanity once humans reach a certain level of development.

[edit] Appearance in fiction

The zoo hypothesis is a relatively popular subject matter in science fiction. Some examples are given below.

  • In Olaf Stapledon's 1937 novel Star Maker, great care is taken by the Symbiont race to keep its existence hidden from "pre-utopian" primitives, "lest they should lose their independence of mind". It is only when such worlds become utopian-level space travellers that the Symbionts make contact and bring the young utopia to an equal footing.
  • In Star Trek, the Federation has a strict Prime Directive policy of nonintervention with less technologically advanced cultures which the Federation encounters. Also, the Vulcan race limited their encounters to observation until humans made their first warp flight, after which they initiated first contact.
  • Arthur C. Clarke's The Sentinel and 2001: A Space Odyssey deal with the concept of a "cosmic burglar alarm", a beacon which is activated when the human race discovers it on the moon. This is a slight variation on the zoo hypothesis, in that an alien race has apparently visited us in the distant past, but is not interested in active observation until a predetermined technological level is reached.
  • In Robert J. Sawyer's SF novel Calculating God, Hollus, a scientist from an advanced alien civilization, denies that her government is operating under the prime directive.
  • In The Journeyman Project series, nuclear wars cause humanity to turn from its warlike ways and unite under a world government. Seeing that they have done this, alien beings (especially the Cyrollans) decide to allow Earth to enter the Symbiotry of Peaceful Beings, a league of alien nations created to share knowledge and culture.
  • In Starcraft, a computer game by Blizzard Entertainment, the Xel'Naga observe a race that would be known as the Protoss from afar until they believed them ready for contact. The Protoss later do the same with the humans who arrive on the edge of Protoss space, although they are forced to reveal themselves to protect the humans from the Zerg threat (although it was initially misinterpreted as an attempt at invasion).
  • In the Star Ocean video game universe, all beings that are technologically advanced enough to achieve space flight adhere to the UP3 (Underdeveloped Planet Preservation Pact), which sets rules for encountering and even visiting underdeveloped worlds.
  • In episode 704 of South Park, entitled "Cancelled", the characters discover that all of life on Earth has been put there by aliens and observed as an interplanetary reality television series called "Earth".

[edit] References

  • Ball, J. A. "The Zoo Hypothesis", Icarus, 19, 347 (1973).

[edit] See also