What's NASA Up To And Other Space Stuff

[RandBlade]

It is pretty close. If it were an alien civilization, then it would mean that they have no interest in systems outside their own, or they know that our system has a life bearing planet. That we're pretty uncolonized would imply certain things.

But it's probably just space dust or something. A shattered planet could be pretty cool too.

It could be the former, although science is going fast there is still no realistically plausible (let alone implemented) method of getting Faster Than Light travel. Even in thousands more years there might never be. In which case its entirely possible that the universe has lots of planets with sentient life on it but has not been colonised because the entire concept of colonisation in practice is implausible and just not worth it.

[Flixy]

It could be the former, although science is going fast there is still no realistically plausible (let alone implemented) method of getting Faster Than Light travel. Even in thousands more years there might never be. In which case its entirely possible that the universe has lots of planets with sentient life on it but has not been colonised because the entire concept of colonisation in practice is implausible and just not worth it.

Hey, I was going to post that! Or they're already here, secretly, as shapeshifting reptillians.

But without FTL travel I don't think colonisation is practical unless you're approaching the death of your sun. Hell, I expect humans to terraform the rest of the solar system first, and even that is quite a feat.