About Fermi paradox
The Fermi paradox is the contradiction between the high probability that extraterrestrial civilizations exist and the lack of any clear evidence for them. The term originated from a 1950 lunchtime conversation in Los Alamos involving physicist Enrico Fermi, who asked "Where is everybody?" Proposed explanations range from life being extremely rare and civilizations dying out quickly to aliens choosing to stay hidden, while decades of searches have found no clear signs of extraterrestrial life.
- Also known as
- Where is everybody
The full story, section by section
The story of Fermi paradox in 4 parts. Tap any part to read it in full.
-
The argumentThe reasoning runs as follows:Read this part →
Enrico Fermi, Italian-American physicist, received the 1938 Nobel Prize in physics for identifying new elements and discovering nuclear reactions by his method of nuclear irradiation and bombardment. He was born in Rome, Italy, on September 29, 1901,… · Photo: Department of Energy-Office of Public Affairs, restored by Yann, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons -
HistoryIn 1950, walking to lunch at Fuller Lodge in Los Alamos, Fermi talked with fellow physicists Emil Konopinski, Edward Teller and Herbert York about recent flying-saucer reports and whether faster-than-light travel was possible.Read this part →
Herbert York, who recalled Fermi calculating that Earth should have been visited many times over · Photo: Federal Government of the United States, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons -
The searchSince 1960 astronomers have looked for evidence.Read this part →
Terrestrial Planet Finder PIA04499 · Photo: Unknown author, Public domain, Wikimedia Commons -
The UFO answerHart's fourth option, that aliens have already come, is where the paradox meets UFO claims.Read this part → Illustration drawn for this site — not a photograph.
Key people
The people at the centre of the story — witnesses, investigators, officials and sceptics:
- Edward TellerEdward Teller was a Hungarian-American theoretical physicist and chemical engineer born in 1908 who became popularly known as the father of the hydrogen bomb. During his career, he participated in th…
- Carl SaganCarl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, and science communicator who lived from 1934 to 1996. He played a major role in space missions, discovered Venus's high surface temp…
- Avi LoebAbraham Avi Loeb is an Israeli-American theoretical physicist and professor at Harvard University who has researched astrophysics and cosmology. He became widely known for arguing that interstellar o…
- Aimé MichelAimé Michel was a French writer and one of the founders of French ufology who studied UFOs, science, and mysticism. He became widely known for his 1958 book Mystérieux Objets Célestes, in which he pr…
Related cases & events
Events and sightings linked to Fermi paradox:
Programs, organizations & documents
The official programs, groups and papers involved:
Related topics & places
Ideas, terms and places that come up in the story:
📖 Term · 5 min readDrake equationThe Drake equation is a probabilistic argument written by radio astronomer Frank Drake in 1961 to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way. Because several of its terms rely on pure conjecture, the formula c…
📖 Term · 7 min readExtraterrestrial hypothesisThe extraterrestrial hypothesis proposes that certain UFOs are physical spacecraft or probes carrying intelligent beings from other planets. Although it is the most popular explanation among the public, it has very little support among scientists and lacks ri…
🧭 Topic overview · 2 min readAre aliens real?What science and the official investigations say about whether extraterrestrial life exists and whether it has visited Earth.🛸 UFO sightings about Fermi paradox
Sightings that mention Fermi paradox
More in the encyclopedia
Other articles that link to or mention Fermi paradox:
- Crop circlesA crop circle is a pattern formed by flattening crops, which became famous in southern England during the 1980s. Although they were widely linked to UFOs and paranormal ideas, there is no scientific …
- Zero-point energyZero-point energy is the lowest possible energy a quantum mechanical system can have, causing atoms, molecules, and empty space to continuously fluctuate. While various observed phenomena like the Ca…
- Cryptoterrestrial UFO hypothesisThe cryptoterrestrial UFO hypothesis proposes that unidentified flying objects are evidence of a hidden, technologically advanced civilization native to Earth rather than visitors from space. The ter…
- Grey alienGrey aliens are purported extraterrestrial beings depicted as small, hairless humanoids with large heads and black eyes, becoming popular cultural icons through modern abduction reports and media. Th…
- High-frequency gravitational wavesHigh-frequency gravitational waves are hypothetical waves that researchers proposed could be generated in a laboratory for uses such as communication and propulsion. Between 2003 and 2022, various wo…
- Demonic UFO hypothesisThe demonic UFO hypothesis is the belief that UFO sightings and alien encounters are actually the work of demons. Promoted mainly by Christian writers and preachers since the 1950s, the concept gaine…
- Ultraterrestrial hypothesisThe ultraterrestrial hypothesis is the idea that UFOs and their occupants originate from other dimensions or realities coexisting with Earth rather than from other planets. Writer John Keel coined th…
- Ancient astronautsAncient astronauts is a set of pseudoscientific beliefs holding that intelligent extraterrestrials visited Earth in prehistoric or ancient times to shape human cultures, technologies, and religions. …
- TransmediumTransmedium describes objects that reportedly move between different environments like space, air, and water without difficulty. United States law includes transmedium devices as a category of uniden…
- Alien implantsIn ufology, alien implants are physical objects that people who believe they were abducted by aliens claim were surgically placed in their bodies for mind control or biotelemetry. Mainstream scientis…
- Unidentified flying objectAn unidentified flying object, or UFO, is an unexplained phenomenon or object seen in the sky, with the modern craze originating in the United States in June 1947. While popular culture often equates…
- Nordic aliensNordic aliens are described in UFO literature as tall, human-like extraterrestrials with blond hair, blue eyes, and fair skin who are said to originate from the Pleiades star cluster. These benevolen…
- FastwalkerFastwalker is a military term created by NORAD for unidentified objects that enter or leave the atmosphere at high speeds. Because NORAD classifies its material on the subject, the terms have become …
- Five observablesThe article is about the five observables, which are five extraordinary flight characteristics associated with military sightings of unidentified aerial phenomena as compiled by former Pentagon offic…
- Inertial mass reductionInertial mass reduction is a hypothetical technology proposed in a 2018 U.S. Navy patent by aerospace engineer Salvatore Pais to allow a vehicle to travel through air, water, and space at extreme spe…
Questions & answers
What is Fermi paradox?
Fermi paradox: The Fermi paradox is the contradiction between the high probability that extraterrestrial civilizations exist and the lack of any clear evidence for them. The term originated from a 1950 lunchtime conversation in Los Alamos involving physicist Enrico Fermi, who asked "Where is everybody?" Proposed explanations range from life being extremely rare and civilizations dying out quickly to aliens choosing to stay hidden, while decades of searches have found no clear signs of extraterrestrial life. Read: Fermi paradox →
What else is Fermi paradox called?
Fermi paradox is also known as Where is everybody.
Who is Edward Teller?
Edward Teller was a Hungarian-American theoretical physicist and chemical engineer born in 1908 who became popularly known as the father of the hydrogen bomb. During his career, he participated in the Manhattan Project, co-founded the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and later advocated for President Ronald Reagan's Strategic Defense Initiative. He received numerous awards, including the Enrico Fermi Award and the Albert Einstein Award, before passing away in 2003 at the age of 95. Read: Edward Teller →
Who is Carl Sagan?
Carl Sagan: Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, and science communicator who lived from 1934 to 1996. He played a major role in space missions, discovered Venus's high surface temperature, co-created interstellar messages, and co-wrote and presented the popular television series Cosmos. He also worked extensively to study UFO reports scientifically while remaining a prominent skeptic of the extraterrestrial hypothesis. Read: Carl Sagan →
Who is Avi Loeb?
Avi Loeb: Abraham Avi Loeb is an Israeli-American theoretical physicist and professor at Harvard University who has researched astrophysics and cosmology. He became widely known for arguing that interstellar objects passing through the Solar System, such as ʻOumuamua, could be alien technology. His claims have been widely rejected by other scientists and led to professional isolation, though he founded the Galileo Project and was named chair of the UAP Science Advisory Council in June 2026. Read: Avi Loeb →
What was John Brandenburg's theories?
John Brandenburg's theories: John E. Brandenburg is an American plasma physicist who has made various controversial claims regarding space research, including theories about an artificial lunar structure and nuclear explosions on Mars. While his 1987 hypothesis regarding an ancient Martian ocean gained mainstream scientific support, his later claims about alien structures and nuclear warfare destroying ancient Martian civilizations have been doubted or rejected by mainstream scientists. Read: John Brandenburg's theories →
What is SETI?
SETI: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence: listening for signals from civilisations on other worlds. Read: SETI →
What is Drake equation?
Drake equation: The Drake equation is a probabilistic argument written by radio astronomer Frank Drake in 1961 to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way. Because several of its terms rely on pure conjecture, the formula cannot support firm conclusions and yields results ranging from less than one civilization to tens of millions. Its primary value is setting out what scientists need to know and serving as an agenda for discussion. Read: Drake equation →
What is Extraterrestrial hypothesis?
Extraterrestrial hypothesis: The extraterrestrial hypothesis proposes that certain UFOs are physical spacecraft or probes carrying intelligent beings from other planets. Although it is the most popular explanation among the public, it has very little support among scientists and lacks rigorous analysis confirming its validity. Government officials, including those from the White House and the Pentagon, have stated they found no evidence of extraterrestrial life or alien spacecraft visiting Earth. Read: Extraterrestrial hypothesis →