As far as I know, we have been searching the universe for almost 50 years via SETI (search for intelligent life) without success. Much of the decoding is done by volunteers using spare processing power on their PCs.
Based on the estimates of planets, I find this odd. As time goes by the means of looking have improved. By now, I would have expected to get some indications.
Maybe, we are looking in the wrong way? Maybe intelligent life self destructs? Maybe we really are alone? Maybe our whole understanding of the universe is wrong?
If ever we did find intelligent life elsewhere, it could have profound implications for humans.
I think we have learnt much in the past 10 years. When Seti started it seemed obvious that advanced civilisations would be using high powered radio, generating signals we could hear. Now it seems the use of high power radio is just a temporary phase lasting as short as 150 years. Work is going on now to see if we can detect the signatures of non natural compounds in the atmosphere of distant planets. Maybe pollution will be more effective than radio in broadcasting the presence of an advanced civilisation!
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