The short story, "Blood Music" which it's author, Greg Bear, later
expanded into a novel ends with the protagonist lying immobile in his
appartment while intelligent cells transform his body into a little
universe filled with societies of intelligent beings. The last line goes
somthing like : "Now I know why aliens never made it to Earth, they found
worlds in grains of sand." It's possible that civiliazations which make
it past the dangerous stage where their technological power has raced far
beyond their ability to use it wisely discover that they can continue to
expand and explore without actually going anywhere. It's a popular topic
on the Transhumanist list, and the term "pocket universe" is frequently
employed to refer to this idea. ItI could be that every civilization
which has made it past the danger zone which we seem to be moving out of
realizes that they can continue doing what they're doing, i.e. growing
and diversifying, without spoiling it for all those who have yet to start
the rapid climb up the curve. What curve? The learning curve.
Another fun conjecture for explaining why we're seemingly alone in the
universe is that we ourselves inhabit a pocket universe created
specifically to let us traverse our developemental course without outside
interference, hinderance or assistance. I can play this game all day.
Take care, all. -KMO