[johnchristopher]

What if we are the probe and we haven't figured it out yet ? Or what if we somehow didn't get the memo telling everyone to stay hidden because of danger, because we are late to the party ? What if there's a natural/alien occurring culling of some kind and we somehow slipped through and now we are alone ?

^^

[nirui]

> What if there's a natural/alien occurring culling of some kind and we somehow slipped through and now we are alone?

Guess that one of the benefits of living in suburbs[1].

1: https://imagine.gsfc.nasa.gov/science/objects/milkyway1.html

Back to the topic. Let's assume there is a space nomad nazi species out there right now, will that species survive long enough to conquer the entire galaxy?

[dvdkhlng]

See also the Zoo Hypothesis [1] :)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoo_hypothesis

[has2k1]

> What if there's a natural/alien occurring culling of some kind and we somehow slipped through and now we are alone ?

You are referring to what is known as "The Great Filter". The more troubling question is, What if we are alone because all the more advanced civilizations have been culled?

[kiliantics]

climate change certainly looks to be a very likely contender for a filter

[m4rtink]

Hiding does not look like a good countermeassure for a culling, as rapid expansion as possible seems much better & possibly good solution overall as long as the resulting human civilisation does not end up to be the one that does the culling.

[trumbitta2]

> What if there's a natural/alien occurring culling of some kind and we somehow slipped through and now we are alone ?

Mass Effect Reapers, anyone?