Then it would’ve been trivial to leave at least one nanomachine and a radio detector in every solar system, which is all it takes to wipe out any incipient civilizations shortly after their first radio broadcast.
It would be trivial to transform all the matter in every solar system reached, to some useware for the sender and not to bother with the possible future civilizations there, at all.
Wow, one could write a story about a civilization of beings who find coherent radio-frequency radiation extremely painful (for instance), because of precisely this artificial selection.
Then it would’ve been trivial to leave at least one nanomachine and a radio detector in every solar system, which is all it takes to wipe out any incipient civilizations shortly after their first radio broadcast.
It would be trivial to transform all the matter in every solar system reached, to some useware for the sender and not to bother with the possible future civilizations there, at all.
Wow, one could write a story about a civilization of beings who find coherent radio-frequency radiation extremely painful (for instance), because of precisely this artificial selection.
Yes, you’re right. The only reason it would tolerate life/civilisation for so long is if it was hiding as well.