/sci/ - Science & Math

Here's a simpler theory. Radio waves just don't reach very far in space. Because it's not empty. It's full of dust, gas, charged particles, energetic fields and all kinds of shit that seriously degrades, scatters and distorts signals by increasing levels with increasing distance and therefore time to get messed up.

"But we pick up radio signals from space all the time!!!" Yeah. From transmission sources like stellar fusion, supernovas, pulsars, that sort of thing. Compare the power output of one of those to a radio antenna. I'll wait. When you're done with that part, consider that natural phenomenon aren't sending any kind of distinct deliberate signal with actual decipherable meaning so it isn't a big deal if those signals get seriously degraded either.

TL;DR Humans are impatient