Editing Fermi paradox (section)

==== Alien species may isolate themselves in virtual worlds ====
[[Avi Loeb]] suggests that one possible explanation for the Fermi paradox is [[virtual reality]] technology. Individuals of extraterrestrial civilizations may prefer to spend time in [[virtual world]]s or [[metaverse]]s that have different physical law constraints as opposed to focusing on colonizing planets.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Loeb |first=Avi |date=2022-01-05 |title=Virtual realities may solve Fermi's paradox about extraterrestrials |url=https://thehill.com/opinion/technology/588445-virtual-realities-may-solve-fermis-paradox-about-extraterrestrials/ |access-date=2024-06-30 |website=The Hill |language=en-US}}</ref> Nick Bostrom suggests that some advanced beings may divest themselves entirely of physical form, create massive artificial virtual environments, transfer themselves into these environments through [[mind uploading]], and exist totally within virtual worlds, ignoring the external physical universe.<ref>{{cite magazine| last1=Bostrom| first1=Nick| title=Where Are They?|url=https://www.technologyreview.com/2008/04/22/220999/where-are-they/| magazine=MIT Technology Review| access-date=October 5, 2020| date=April 22, 2008}}</ref>

It may be that intelligent alien life develops an "increasing disinterest" in their outside world.<ref name=webb02/> Possibly any sufficiently advanced society will develop highly engaging media and entertainment well before the capacity for advanced space travel, with the rate of appeal of these social contrivances being destined, because of their inherent reduced complexity, to overtake any desire for complex, expensive endeavors such as space exploration and communication. Once any sufficiently advanced civilization becomes able to master its environment, and most of its physical needs are met through technology, various "social and entertainment technologies", including virtual reality, are postulated to become the primary drivers and motivations of that civilization.<ref>{{cite book |last=Webb |first=Stephen |title=If the Universe Is Teeming with Aliens... Where Is Everybody? Seventy five Solutions to the Fermi Paradox and the Problem of Extraterrestrial Life |edition=2nd |publisher=Copernicus Books |date=2015 |isbn=978-3-319-13235-8 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=QWKyrQEACAAJ |access-date=July 21, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150903224843/https://books.google.com/books?id=QWKyrQEACAAJ |archive-date=September 3, 2015 |url-status=live }} Chapter 15: "They Stay at Home and Surf the Web"</ref>