The best place to search for advanced extraterrestrial civilizations, according to a top Harvard astronomer, might be at the centers of matter-rich galaxy clusters.
Alien civilizations may have migrated to galaxy clusters to prepare for the impending isolation that intelligent civilizations may face as the universe extends well beyond its current scale, according to Harvard University’s Abraham Loeb, head of the Astronomy Department.
In a paper published on the pre-print server ArXiv, Loeb describes how advanced alien civilizations may have congregated in clusters of thousands of galaxies similar to the Milky Way, similar to how Earth’s ancient inhabitants flocked to rivers and lakes.
Preparing for the Expansion of the Cosmos
In the 1990s, scientists discovered that the universe was expanding at a faster pace than previously believed, contradicting conventional theory at the time that gravity would eventually cause the universe to collapse in on itself.
This gave rise to the concept of dark energy, a supernatural power believed to account for three-quarters of the universe. Dark energy, according to experts, is to blame for the universe’s expansion into the inward force of gravity.
By the time the universe reaches 138 billion years old, dark energy will have become the most dominant force in the universe, and all points in space will have drifted so far apart that they are practically inaccessible.
This also applies to the Local Group, which consists of the Milky Way, Andromeda, and all of their satellite galaxies.
Assuming that humanity will still exist at the time of this event, Loeb advises that it is best to prepare for such intense isolation by transitioning to galaxy clusters.
