The Fermi paradox is the contradiction between the existence of what appears to be billions of habitable planets within just the Milky Way galaxy alone and the complete lack of any obvious signs of alien civilisations anywhere we've looked.
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The paradox is that even if the advancement of life to a state such as ours — intelligent, multi-cellular, tool-using, and most importantly, radio-broadcasting — was exceedingly rare, there are so many planets within their host star's habitable zone that we should be able to see evidence of at least a handful, if not thousands of advanced civilisations.
Had Enrico Fermi lived today, he might not have viewed this conundrum in quite the same way. Faced with the existential threat of human-induced cataclysmic climate change, the same evolutionary traits which delivered us as a species to the dominant position we enjoy on Earth today are the same traits that are preventing us from enacting the reforms necessary to avert our own demise.
Greed and self-interest trump empathy and altruism nearly every time, so if life elsewhere in the universe evolved in much the same way that we have and found itself in a similar position to what we do, it's hard to imagine that they wouldn't continue their inexorable march towards extinction and condemn themselves to be just a brief, lonely blip of light in a cold, empty universe, just as we are.
James Allan, Narrabundah
Heritage omissions
Your November 24 article on the heritage listing of 11 Northcote Crescent, Deakin, failed to acknowledge that the house which now stands is largely the work of two architects, Harry Seidler and later Clem Cummings.
The article fails to mention that the original harmonised rectangular two-bedroom bachelor's residence designed in 1951, described in the article, no longer exists.
No mention that the east corner of the original building was demolished in 1960 to make way for the addition of six new rooms [by Seidler], extending the original building to the north-east and to the south-east.
No mention that further extensions to the south-west and to the north-east were undertaken in 1978, together with further alteration along the south-eastern side, and substantial alteration of the original interior.
No mention that every face and aspect of the house has changed, and no mention that every remaining room of the original house has been substantially altered.
M. Bowden, Deakin
'Grand slam' sham
R S Baczynski (Letters, December 10) is quite right in condemning the commentators (almost all of them) who keep calling individual tennis Opens "grand slams".
What they seem to have ignored as well is, how are they going to get over their sloppiness when the next true grand slam winner arrives on the scene which could, of course, be this year?
I can't wait for their red-faced reaction when it happens nor, I imagine, can the current true grand slam winners, Rod Laver, Margaret Court and Steffi Graf, who also has the unique distinction of being the only "Golden Slam" winner, that is, in 1988 she won Olympic gold in addition to her four Open titles.
Eric Hunter, Cook
Suspicious packages
The expected hysterical New Year security scare arrived on schedule this week with the mysterious delivery of "suspicious packages" to a number of embassies and consulates around the country ("Suspicious packages delivered to multiple consulates in Melbourne, Canberra", canberratimes.com.au, January 9).
Meanwhile, about 900 kilometres away, an even more sinister "suspicious package" in the form of an environmental disaster was delivered along the banks of the Darling River, with a mass kill estimated to be in excess of one million fish, courtesy of our nation's obscenely incompetent politicians.
I have no doubt as to which "suspicious package" we should be most concerned about.
John Richardson, Wallagoot, NSW
Climate elections
Bravo, bravo, Louise Freckleton. In her splendid article ("With heatwaves like this, what of our future?", Comment, January 5, p11) she rightly notes that while those of us who care about the environment and climate change are reducing, reusing, recycling, changing farming practices etc etc, our politicians are obfuscating.
Where she lives, in NSW, there are not one but two elections coming up within months — state and federal.
As she says, we do need to interrogate all candidates on their respective stances on climate change and attitude to renewables.
We have to make a rapid transition to renewable energy and rapidly phase out coal and other fossil fuels.
Those candidates unwilling to see the problem of climate change and unable to come up with solutions do not deserve to be elected.
Jenny Goldie, Cooma, NSW
Listen to the children
I concur with Rick Godfrey's (Letters, January 7) comments that we need a change of direction in 2019 to address critical issues facing our planet.
I'm optimistic and have faith we the people collectively can make a difference.
The federal government needs to listen more closely to our children, who after all are our future. They have every right to protest about lack of a comprehensive climate change policy as this directly impacts them.
Most children these days are very well informed about climate change and the environment and the science that supports this.
They are constantly educating us adults on recycling. Parliamentarians now need to stand up and act on behalf of our children.
MPs! Make a difference and be a change agent for the planet.
Children are actually asking you to. School children attend Parliament House in droves as part of their education and watch you in action.
You are failing them by your inaction. Adani is a prime example. You will not even listen to our scientists on Adani.
It's now time to do the right thing by our children. They are your children and grandchildren and nieces and nephews too.
Anne Kidd, O'Connor
Maryborough's winner
Errol Goode (Letters, January 9) is disgusted with the state of our lakes and parks. He should take himself and AWM director Nelson to Maryborough in Queensland to check out their parks and the newly opened war memorial, "Gallipoli to Armistice". It is an asset to the entire country.
Nick Corby, Hawker
Cormann conundrum
And Mattias Cormann is in charge of the people's money? Say that again, will you?
M. Moore, Bonython
Unfair and destructive
According to Citigroup "ALP policy 'could wipe billions' from the banks" (January 9, p.1) but bank devaluation is only the tip of the iceberg.
Labor's proposed franking credit grab will similarly devalue every other Australian company which pays franking credits such as BHP, Origin, Santos, Telstra, Wesfarmers and Woolworths.
Prior to 1987 a company would pay tax on its profits and any dividend paid was taxed again as income for the shareholder, a form of double taxation.
Under dividend imputation a company may attribute the corporate tax it has paid on its profits as franking credits to shareholders who then pay the difference between the corporate tax rate and their personal marginal tax rate.
Dividend imputation was introduced in Australia by the Hawke/Keating government in 1987 to eliminate double taxation. In 2000 the Howard/Costello government made franking credits fully refundable.
Now Labor is apparently proposing that franking credits for most taxpayers will only be usable against other tax liabilities and any excess credit lost, not taken as a refund as now.
SMSF (Self Managed Super Fund) members would be big losers as many are invested entirely in the Australian stock market, rely on franking credits for almost 30 per cent of their income, and have limited flexibility to retrospectively change their investments.
Devaluation of Australian companies would increase this loss.
Imagine the outcry if Labor told PAYG (Pay As You Go) employees that if the ATO (Australian Tax Office) took too much tax from them over the year they would not refund it.
Fully refundable franking credits are like PAYG for retirees and other investors and they similarly should not have the ATO take too much tax from them over the year and refuse to refund it. Labor should drop this retrospective, unfair and destructive proposal.
Bruce Porter, Palmerston
Death a reminder
Canberra's first road death for 2019 — a pedestrian walking on Belconnen Way where the speed limit is 80km/h — is an unfortunate reminder of the dangers of high speed vehicles.
It is also timely because, within a few months, 10,000 light rail passengers each day will cross the dangerous 60 km/h section of Northbourne Avenue that passes through Civic.
These four hundred metres of Northbourne Avenue, from Barry Drive to London Circuit, contain less than three of the ACT's 7000 lane kilometres of roads.
Yet they account for a twentieth of our pedestrian injuries.
Despite their dangerous history, they were inexplicably omitted from the 40 km/h shopping centre speed limits that were introduced in 2015.
It's time to review the speed limit on these three blocks of Northbourne Avenue.
Leon Arundell, Living Streets Canberra, Downer
Clarifying 'religious'
If our non-sectarian Parliament is to avoid endorsing voodoo and superstition, before sallying heroically forth to protect religious freedom our legislators might need heavenly inspiration to clarify what beliefs or activities fit under the "religious" umbrella. Or loophole.
Any new law should recognise existing marketing laws intended to protect our trusting public from those who might engage in conduct that misleads, deceives or harms us.
Such laws are applicable even where there was no intention to mislead or deceive anyone or no one has suffered loss or damage.
The onus should be placed on teachers and proselytisers to be responsible for the reliability of their ethereal assertions.
If it is to regain any respect, Parliament must repair the callous neglect, shamefully demonstrated by past governments.
They overlooked, protected and subsidised institutions masquerading as "religious", while hideously injuring so many innocent young Australians.
If it was appropriate to require a plebiscite before Parliament considered equal marriage laws, surely this matter demands the same depth of community consideration.
Don Burns, Mawson
Expand your mind
Finally an interesting university course that people won't consider a Mickey Mouse version.
You can research Mickey Mouse at Brockenhurst College (UK).
Students will be watching lots of Disney material and doing an essay on it and anyone who can do Donald Duck's voice will get extra marks — no, not really.
They will also study Wallace and Gromit which might be useful as playing with plasticine may be all they are capable of, although the stop-motion filming may teach them patience.
A quick Google search will reveal a number of other courses that many may not have considered, Bowling Industry Management and Technology, The Simpsons and Philosophy, David Beckham Studies and Bagpiping.
The university experience is meant to expand your mind.
We really need more courses that help society and perhaps a few more science or medical students would contribute more than a really good bagpipes player, if there is such a thing.
D. Fitzgerald, Box Hill, Vic
Winning at all costs
While I endorse Rick Godfrey's letter ("Too little too late?"', January 7) his letter could have little impact on the Coalition government.
Why? Because the Coalition government has a top priority.
To win the next federal election. This will cost the Coalition millions.
Where will the donations come from? From (among others) companies who deal in coal, oil and natural gas.
Motto: It's better to light a candle than curse the darkness.
With my wife, our "candle" is 33 solar panels on our roof.
This cuts our power bill and our reliance on fossil fuels.
We installed five water tanks that (when full) will hold 32,000 litres of sky-water.
Our roof is half the size of our Latham block. This means that we have doubled our rainfall — for now.
What I fear is the money-mad ACT Barr-government could tax our solar efforts and our water efforts.
What happened to ACT Labor? It died of shame.
Graham Macafee, Latham
TO THE POINT
ANY CARPORT IN A STORM
If the National Trust ACT wishes to recognise the work of internationally renowned architect Harry Seidler, it could save a lot of grief and simply add a carport to the heritage list.
After all, a structure that does nothing to protect its occupants from extremes of hot and cold weather would be a fitting tribute to the Harry Seidler house in which I spent my early years in Canberra.
Stephen Jones, Bonython
TOO MUCH PARTY
If unhappy teenagers rebelling against their parents are granted taxpayer-funded refugee status, perhaps the party has gone on too long.
D. Hughes, South Melbourne, Vic
A LESSON LEARNT
Is it possible the neo-Nazi boofs at StKilda got their inspiration from the "extreme and offensive racist views" of the Coalition government that maintains concentration camps on Manus and Nauru, targets the youth in the Australian-African communities, ignores the Indigenous voice from the heart and votes that its OK to be white?
Dr Vacy Vlazna, Collaroy, ACT
CONSIDER VELOCIPEDE
Fred Barnes ("Bring back the punt", Letters, January 11) makes a good suggestion for Stage 2 light rail. To avoid overhead wires in Stage 2 why not use horse-drawn trams? It would avoid any shonky electrical work and deliver a truly 19th century solution.
Maria Greene, Curtin
WHO MAKES JUDGMENT?
How are people judged to be genuine refugees since they can say anything plausible and presumably be believed and the evaluators don't travel to the source country to research the validity of a claimant's statement?
Rod Matthews, Fairfield, Vic
TRIUMPH OF PR
Headlines such as "Saudi teen detained in Bangkok could realise her dream of living in Australia" beggars belief. Why? Why does her situation get her ahead of thousands of refugees who want to live in Australia? Is it because she has contrived some good PR?
John Coochey, Chisholm
OUTRAGE NOT SURPRISE
Mathias Cormann's outrageous use of a VIP jet to meet with two SA senators in Adelaide about a corporate tax plan comes as no surprise to me. What is also totally unsurprising is the sound of silence coming from the federal opposition.
P. Maher, Gilmore
NO GOOD TO COME OF IT
Donald Trump's diplomatic tactics seem so crude. First, he insults leaders of other countries (e.g., "Little Rocket Man") to soften them up, then meets them looking friendly, hoping they'll give way to him. They probably won't. He won't compromise either, so how can there be good outcomes?
Susan MacDougall, Scullin
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