New study sheds light over the future of humanity that is prone to excessive energy use. Is everything lost for us?

A new study suggests that alien civilizations – if they ever existed in our universe – may have driven themselves toward extinction through climate change. Astrophysicists estimated in a daring simulation that any rapidly advancing technological society could render its planet uninhabitable in under 1,000 years due to excessive energy use.

Potentially habitable planets, such as Kepler 186-f, would also face the effects of climate change if an alien civilization harnessed large amounts of energy on their surface, even if they relied on renewable energy sources. According to the laws of thermodynamics, energy systems aren't perfect, and some energy always escapes as heat. Over time, this inevitable heat leakage could raise the planet’s temperature to unsustainable levels.

In their simulation, researchers found that an alien civilization experiencing exponential technological growth and energy consumption would face a maximum of 1,000 years before its planet became too hot for life. These findings, currently under review, are based on the second law of thermodynamics, which states that no energy system is completely efficient.

More to read:
Humans won’t put their feet on Mars any time soon – kidneys are the problem

This study was inspired by humanity’s own energy use, which has been rising rapidly since the 1800s. In 2023 alone, humans consumed about 180,000 terawatt hours (TWh) — equivalent to the amount of energy Earth receives from the sun at any moment. Although much of this energy comes from fossil fuels, even if humans fully transitioned to renewables, growing energy demands could eventually lead to overheating the planet, according to astrophysicists Manasvi Lingam from Florida Institute of Technology and Amedeo Balbi from Tor Vergata University of Rome.

Interviewed by LiveScience, Lingam explained the situation using a metaphor: “Imagine a leaky bathtub.

If it’s only a little full, not much water escapes. But as it fills up more, even a small leak can flood the house.”

This underscores the potential consequences of unchecked energy growth, even for civilizations trying to adopt sustainable practices.

More to read:
Early Universe galaxies got killed by their supermassive black holes

The findings paint a bleak picture: alien civilizations appear to self-destruct within a mere 1,000 years as their planets become too hot to support life. Even a complete shift to renewable energy fails to save them, as waste heat — an unavoidable byproduct of energy use according to the second law of thermodynamics — continues to build up in their atmospheres. Over time, this heat accumulates, turning otherwise habitable planets into scorching wastelands.

The two researchers believe this could provide a clue to the Fermi paradox — the question of why, in a universe filled with potentially habitable worlds, we have yet to encounter any signs of intelligent life. One possibility is that advanced civilizations are incredibly rare because they tend to destroy themselves through unchecked energy consumption and climate change in a relatively short timeframe.

More to read:
What are the chances that Proxima b is habitable?

However, this doesn't fully explain why we haven’t detected the remnants of these civilizations, such as technosignatures like long-lasting radio signals or evidence of spacefaring technologies. Perhaps some technosignatures simply don’t last long enough to reach us, or maybe those civilizations collapse before they can send out signals that persist over millennia.

There is, however, a glimmer of hope. The dire outcomes in the study are based on the assumption that energy needs will continue growing exponentially — roughly one percent per year. But what if an advanced civilization was wise enough to halt that growth? If such a civilization could achieve equilibrium, learning to live in harmony with its environment and keep energy consumption steady, it could potentially thrive for millions or even billions of years.

More to read:
Could a waterworld 70+ light-years away harbor life?

Lingam is cautiously optimistic. “If a species has opted for equilibrium,” he says, “that species and its descendants could survive maybe up to a billion years.” This suggests that long-term survival is possible, but it hinges on civilizations learning to limit their energy consumption and make the switch to renewable energy sources.

For humanity, the takeaway is clear: while the distant future remains uncertain, the immediate challenge is to address our own climate crisis. Transitioning to renewable energy is an essential first step in staving off the very real and already devastating impacts of global warming. If we can learn to manage our energy use sustainably, the outlook for the future could be much brighter.

***
NewsCafe relies in its reporting on research papers that need to be cracked down to average understanding. Some even need to be paid for. Help us pay for science reports to get more interesting stories. Use PayPal: office[at]rudeana.com or paypal.me/newscafeeu.