The abstract does a poor job of explaining one of the primary motivations of this research: if Alcubierre drives can exist, and can be built, then it seems likely a sufficiently advanced alien species would have built them. We could therefore find them by detecting the drive failures associated with the hypothetical tech, something which is likely easier than actually building the drives ourselves.
Won’t it be funny if it turns out WE’RE the most advanced alien species? Like, we’re out here wasting time with SETI and this failed warp drive thing, when we should be concentrating on UNIVERSE DOMINATION!!!
This is an actual proposed solution to the Fermi Paradox. We’re still relatively early on a universal scale. It’s possible we’re just… first. Or so early that hardly anybody else is out there yet. Could be that a billion years later, advanced life is all over the place.
In your formulation, we would also be the explanation for another species’ dark forest hypothesis…
Personally I find this very probable:
First, the big bang happens and stars are made
Then a star large enough to fuse heavier elements needs to live its full life then die of a supernova to create elements heavier than iron
Lastly those remnants need to form a new solar system with a planet somewhat rich in these heavier elements to support life, as well as the time needed to have life spring up in the first place
In terms of how long all of these take, we’re pretty young cosmically
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While possible, it goes against the Mediocrity principle:
The idea is to assume mediocrity, rather than starting with the assumption that a phenomenon is special, privileged, exceptional, or even superior.[2][3]
Everything is mediocre
Everything is blah, when you’re part of a team
Everything is mediocre
When you’re living in-between (the narrow ends of the Bell curve)
PBS Spacetime recently had a video on this: https://youtu.be/8hvzF5oQe1g?si=e9Tw0XrMILbf4Ql6
