Frankly, based on the fact that developing technology to the point of intergalactic travel requires social stability on your home world You have no evidence to support this. Do you really expect world peace to occur before space travel?
If anything I would expect the opposite, that space travel would encourage peace. Groups could leave to colonize their own worlds rather than causing internal strife. Similar to religious groups leaving Europe to colonize early America.
I don't think that Possibility A) They're hiding is at all unlikely.
If there are multiple intelligent species scattered throughout the galaxy, it's likely that we are all at significantly different technological levels. Any particular species will likely be vastly superior to or completely outclassed by any other civilization it encounters. Unless every other intelligent species in the galaxy has eliminated the need to compete for resources, conflict is inevitable.
What would Humanity do if we encountered an alien race that could destroy us at a whim and happened to want the same rocks as us? We'd Hide. Hide and hope to god they never found us again.
The question is "Why is it that, out of the hundreds of billions of solar systems that exist or have existed since the beginning of the Milky Way, not a single one has produced a spacefaring civilization with a detectable presence in our corner of the galaxy?"
Suppose there was an advanced spacefaring civilization within, oh, 300 light years of us. How would we actually detect their presence?
As much as I like SETI, detecting radio transmissions are unlikely. Even at our (comparatively pathetic) technology level we've been shifting away from high-power radio. Any spacefaring civilization would have to develop a better communication method than omni-directional radio.
If many species do reach our own technology then it's likely that a huge multitude of space probes are likely speeding around the galaxy. But given the sheer size of space we probably have a near zero chance of encountering one.
Unless super-structures (dyson sphere, etc.) are a common development then how would we detect the structural evidence of another civilization? We're only now becoming able to detect other Earth-sized planets. We're not going to see space colonies or if a planet is inhabited.
There could be a fleet of alien starships cruising through our solar system right now and we would be completely oblivious unless they came really near to Earth or someone got really lucky.
I think this is overestimating the importance of a computer to the average person. For people like you and me, wearable HUD systems sound really cool. The average person, who views the computer as just another tool, will be much less willing to don equipment just to use one full time. The HUD wouldn't be intended to simply replace the screen on a laptop or desktop. This would possibly be the worst type of use, ignoring the its primary advantages: real-time asynchronous access to information, vision "overlays", 3D display, and shared virtual spaces.
Phones, PDAs, and MP3 players are also just tools, but many people carry them everywhere they go. The HUD I imagine would just be a way to unify visual output from all these devices. If it could be embedded in glasses or contact lenses (which many people have to wear anyway), then wouldn't that make it simpler for users, while drastically reducing the size of many devices?
What are the advantages of 24/7 computer access? Ability to quickly find information, and ability to work, at all times. I don't see the average person purchasing and using wearable computer systems for these two benefits.
Where I see ubiquitous computing going is in the direction of small, networked devices, that grab information and share it seamlessly. Take out your cellphone/pda and it'll have information on the groceries running low in your fridge (if you're near your preferred grocery store), the bus times of the buses that run through the nearest bus stop (if you're near one you've taken before), a reminder that the library books you put in your bag when you left the house still aren't returned (if you're near your usual library), etcetera. Information which is relevant to your context, without you having to search for it. I don't think that either wearable or ubiquitous can be fully exploited without combining them.
Ubiquitous without wearable will be held back by the terrible mobile interfaces we currently live with. What's the use of universally available information if you can only access it through a 2" screen and cellphone keypad? Users will still be forced to treat computing as a separate activity, rather than as a complement to whatever they're doing.
Similarly, wearable computing would be limited to what storage and processing power you can carry on your person.
I can think of several applications that would take advantage of both, especially once computer vision advanced to the point that graphics overlaid over top of real images became possible. These could range from the fairly mundane, such as real-time GPS navigation with arrows overlaid on roads, to users being able to share a consensual augmented reality environment.
However, when you need to use a computer to work, I still see the desktop (or a laptop) being the thing you'll use, for the foreseeable future. I think this depends on what type of work it is. If it requires inputting a large variety and amount of text, then it will be hard for anything to beat a standard keyboard.
However, many professions could benefit from HUD displays and mesh networking. Mechanics could have schematics overlaid on engines. Surgeons could has medical image (xrays, MRIs) overlays, along with instant access to vital signs. Designers could cooperatively view and manipulate virtual 3D objects. Firefighters could see hotspots, rescue beacons, environment stats.
I truly believe that the future of computing is dependent on improved interfaces and ubiquitous connectivity. Once these are developed, nearly everything will be augmented by some form of computer processing, but "computing" as a discrete activity will virtually disappear.
This is because our methods of interfacing with computers are still very limited. Output requires a decent sized screen and (comfortable) input requires a full keyboard and usually a mouse or trackball. Before mobile/ubiquitous computing can really take off it's going to be necessary to develop new interfaces that are possible to use comfortably in a wide variety of situations.
Lots of work is currently being done to develop wearable HUD systems integrated into glasses or contact lenses. I feel like this will be necessary for computing to truly advance, as it's the only way to provide asynchronous output to the user (without taking your cellphone out, booting a laptop, etc.).
Chording keyboards/keyers could take care of mobile input needs, especially if it was possible to integrate a trackball or scroll wheel. This would easily suffice for simple things like texting or entering urls. Full keyboards would still be more appropriate for long sessions though.
Ideally the interface components could be separate from the computing/storage elements and use low-power wireless to form a personal mesh network. Every device you carry would display information through the same HUD and take input through the same controls.
Sometimes there are good reasons for a seller to set the shipping as higher than the actual shipping cost.
My father used to be the #1 seller of diecast cars on eBay, usually shipping 100-200 packages a day. In order to simplify pricing every auction had a shipping cost of $6, with shipping being free on every item after the first.
Sometimes we had people complain about paying $6.00 to ship a tiny 1:64 scale car. The buyers who got 15 1:18 cars (>30lbs total) shipped for the same $6.00 loved it though.
Some theories propose a sort of multi-verse containing many universes with different physical laws and properties. If the physical laws governing wormholes in our universe (whatever those might be) were similar to those in another separate universe, and it allowed traversal but not "leakage" of properties, then yes it could be possible to travel to a completely different universe. Of course, you may explode into positrons when you get there.
I know that's alot of "if"s, but the whole thing is a thought experiment anyway.
Slashdot Mirror
If anything I would expect the opposite, that space travel would encourage peace. Groups could leave to colonize their own worlds rather than causing internal strife. Similar to religious groups leaving Europe to colonize early America.
I don't think that Possibility A) They're hiding is at all unlikely. If there are multiple intelligent species scattered throughout the galaxy, it's likely that we are all at significantly different technological levels. Any particular species will likely be vastly superior to or completely outclassed by any other civilization it encounters. Unless every other intelligent species in the galaxy has eliminated the need to compete for resources, conflict is inevitable.
What would Humanity do if we encountered an alien race that could destroy us at a whim and happened to want the same rocks as us? We'd Hide. Hide and hope to god they never found us again.
Suppose there was an advanced spacefaring civilization within, oh, 300 light years of us. How would we actually detect their presence?
As much as I like SETI, detecting radio transmissions are unlikely. Even at our (comparatively pathetic) technology level we've been shifting away from high-power radio. Any spacefaring civilization would have to develop a better communication method than omni-directional radio.
If many species do reach our own technology then it's likely that a huge multitude of space probes are likely speeding around the galaxy. But given the sheer size of space we probably have a near zero chance of encountering one.
Unless super-structures (dyson sphere, etc.) are a common development then how would we detect the structural evidence of another civilization? We're only now becoming able to detect other Earth-sized planets. We're not going to see space colonies or if a planet is inhabited.
There could be a fleet of alien starships cruising through our solar system right now and we would be completely oblivious unless they came really near to Earth or someone got really lucky.
Phones, PDAs, and MP3 players are also just tools, but many people carry them everywhere they go. The HUD I imagine would just be a way to unify visual output from all these devices. If it could be embedded in glasses or contact lenses (which many people have to wear anyway), then wouldn't that make it simpler for users, while drastically reducing the size of many devices? What are the advantages of 24/7 computer access? Ability to quickly find information, and ability to work, at all times. I don't see the average person purchasing and using wearable computer systems for these two benefits. Where I see ubiquitous computing going is in the direction of small, networked devices, that grab information and share it seamlessly. Take out your cellphone/pda and it'll have information on the groceries running low in your fridge (if you're near your preferred grocery store), the bus times of the buses that run through the nearest bus stop (if you're near one you've taken before), a reminder that the library books you put in your bag when you left the house still aren't returned (if you're near your usual library), etcetera. Information which is relevant to your context, without you having to search for it. I don't think that either wearable or ubiquitous can be fully exploited without combining them.
Ubiquitous without wearable will be held back by the terrible mobile interfaces we currently live with. What's the use of universally available information if you can only access it through a 2" screen and cellphone keypad? Users will still be forced to treat computing as a separate activity, rather than as a complement to whatever they're doing.
Similarly, wearable computing would be limited to what storage and processing power you can carry on your person.
I can think of several applications that would take advantage of both, especially once computer vision advanced to the point that graphics overlaid over top of real images became possible. These could range from the fairly mundane, such as real-time GPS navigation with arrows overlaid on roads, to users being able to share a consensual augmented reality environment. However, when you need to use a computer to work, I still see the desktop (or a laptop) being the thing you'll use, for the foreseeable future. I think this depends on what type of work it is. If it requires inputting a large variety and amount of text, then it will be hard for anything to beat a standard keyboard.
However, many professions could benefit from HUD displays and mesh networking. Mechanics could have schematics overlaid on engines. Surgeons could has medical image (xrays, MRIs) overlays, along with instant access to vital signs. Designers could cooperatively view and manipulate virtual 3D objects. Firefighters could see hotspots, rescue beacons, environment stats.
I truly believe that the future of computing is dependent on improved interfaces and ubiquitous connectivity. Once these are developed, nearly everything will be augmented by some form of computer processing, but "computing" as a discrete activity will virtually disappear.
This is because our methods of interfacing with computers are still very limited. Output requires a decent sized screen and (comfortable) input requires a full keyboard and usually a mouse or trackball. Before mobile/ubiquitous computing can really take off it's going to be necessary to develop new interfaces that are possible to use comfortably in a wide variety of situations.
Lots of work is currently being done to develop wearable HUD systems integrated into glasses or contact lenses. I feel like this will be necessary for computing to truly advance, as it's the only way to provide asynchronous output to the user (without taking your cellphone out, booting a laptop, etc.).
Chording keyboards/keyers could take care of mobile input needs, especially if it was possible to integrate a trackball or scroll wheel. This would easily suffice for simple things like texting or entering urls. Full keyboards would still be more appropriate for long sessions though.
Ideally the interface components could be separate from the computing/storage elements and use low-power wireless to form a personal mesh network. Every device you carry would display information through the same HUD and take input through the same controls.
Sometimes there are good reasons for a seller to set the shipping as higher than the actual shipping cost. My father used to be the #1 seller of diecast cars on eBay, usually shipping 100-200 packages a day. In order to simplify pricing every auction had a shipping cost of $6, with shipping being free on every item after the first. Sometimes we had people complain about paying $6.00 to ship a tiny 1:64 scale car. The buyers who got 15 1:18 cars (>30lbs total) shipped for the same $6.00 loved it though.
Some theories propose a sort of multi-verse containing many universes with different physical laws and properties. If the physical laws governing wormholes in our universe (whatever those might be) were similar to those in another separate universe, and it allowed traversal but not "leakage" of properties, then yes it could be possible to travel to a completely different universe. Of course, you may explode into positrons when you get there.
I know that's alot of "if"s, but the whole thing is a thought experiment anyway.
IANAP btw (obviously)
reading material: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bubble_universe_theory