........==                                          ==........
.......==*                                          *==.......
......==*§                                          §*==......
.....==*§@                                          @§*==.....
....==*§@#                                          #@§*==....
...==*§@##             a#...========...#            ##@§*==...
..==*§@###      ####.== fermi's paradox ==.####     ###@§*==..
...==*§@##             #...========...#             ##@§*==...
....==*§@#                                          #@§*==....
.....==*§@ there's too little apparent life in  the @§*==.....
......==*§         universe#...========...#         §*==......
.......==*        ####.== omega point ==.####       *==.......
........==        #...========...# it'§§§§@-a       ==........
.........=                                          =.........
..........                  ther##                  ..........
..........   #...========there's probably a point   ..........
.......... (they  tell me so;  the  ones i talk to, ..........
.......... the   ones   untouched  by   our  mortal ..........
..........                emptiness)                ..........
..........                                          ..........
.......... there's  probably  a  point where we try ..........
.......... too much. the fey are curious  like  us, ..........
.......... or mor§@£@* a "killer  fact",  something ..........
.........= that a species  that  isn't curious will =.........
........==                never find                ==........
.......==*                                          *==.......
......==*§ but  something  that a  species  that is §*==......
.....==*§@ curious  is bound (in the  fey sense) to @§*==.....
....==*§@#                 explore                  #@§*==....
...==*§@##                                          ##@§*==...
..==*§@### the  keyword here is =safety margin==# - ###@§*==..
...==*§@## it  will look like  any  other force, it ##@§*==...
....==*§@# will  fit in the puzzle,  safe to bend - #@§*==....
.....==*§@ but  it  wont  be, and  the second  they @§*==.....
......==*§                  try...                  §*==......
.......==*                                          *==.......
........==             and so.##=======t            ==........
.........= hey look at us and our  planet and  they =.........
..........                 .lau.h.                  ..........
.......... ...ause we'.re ne.x.t... ###.###=@===... ..........
.......... ........................................ ..........
.......... ........................................ ..........
.......... ..........#............................. ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
..........                                          ..........
.........=                                          =.........
........==                                          ==........