--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The real question is not are there other…" description: "\"The real question is not are there other forms of life in the universe, but are there other intelligent forms of life out there right now. Because the ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/ian-bremmer-15031_bigs_the-real-question-is-not-are-there-other_1487160.jpg" --- # The real question is not are there other forms of life in… ![“The real question is not are there other forms of life in the universe, but are there other intelligent forms of life out there right now. Because the universe is not only really big but it's also really long. It's been around for a long time; it's going to be around for a long time.” quote by Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/ian-bremmer-15031_bigs_the-real-question-is-not-are-there-other_1487160.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/ian-bremmer-15031_bigs_the-real-question-is-not-are-there-other_1487160.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/061/ian-bremmer-15031_bigs_the-real-question-is-not-are-there-other_1487160.jpg) > “The real question is not are there other forms of life in the universe, but are there other intelligent forms of life out there right now. Because the universe is not only really big but it's also really long. It's been around for a long time; it's going to be around for a long time.” [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The key issue is not existence of alien life but whether intelligent life already exists now, given the universe’s vast age and size. **In simple terms:** We should focus on current intelligent life, not just any life. Key Takeaway Seek evidence of present intelligent life. Themes exploration existence cosmology Mood curious thoughtful Type speculative philosophical When to use this quote - space telescopes - SETI programs - philosophical debates Key Concepts Astrobiology Fermi paradox Questions to Reflect On - What evidence would change our view? - How does this affect humanity’s self‑image? A Different Perspective We may never detect them due to limitations. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) [Form](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/form/) [Forms Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forms-life-331317/) [Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/intelligent/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Life Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life-universe/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-time/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Real questions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real-questions/) [Really long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/really-long/) [Right now](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-now/) [Space](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/space/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Universe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe/) [Universe Intelligent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-intelligent-1654077/) [Universe Really](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/universe-really-700160/) ## Related quotes > [I think it's fantastically narcissistic to believe that in the entire universe, with all of the planetary systems that we've already discovered and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/i-think-it-s-fantastically-narcissistic-to-believe-that-in-the-entire/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I suppose my interest in looking for life elsewhere in the universe really dates back to my teens. What teenager doesn't look up at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-davies/i-suppose-my-interest-in-looking-for-life-elsewhere-in-the-universe/) [Paul Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-davies/) > [Is mankind alone in the universe? Or are there somewhere other intelligent beings looking up into their night sky from very different worlds and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/is-mankind-alone-in-the-universe-or-are-there-somewhere-other/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) > [In a universe that's an intelligent system with a divine creative force supporting it, there simply can be no accidents. As tough as it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/in-a-universe-that-s-an-intelligent-system-with-a-divine-creative/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [I believe alien life is quite common in the universe, although intelligent life is less so. Some say it has yet to appear on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-hawking/i-believe-alien-life-is-quite-common-in-the-universe-although/) [Stephen Hawking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-hawking/) > [Did you know, in the entire universe, we are the only intelligent life forms thought to have a Miss Universe contest?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lily-tomlin/did-you-know-in-the-entire-universe-we-are-the-only-intelligent-life/) [Lily Tomlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lily-tomlin/) > [“Instead of an intellectual search, there was suddenly a very deep gut feeling that something was different. It occurred when looking at Earth and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/instead-of-an-intellectual-search-there-was-suddenly-a-very-deep-gut/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [For all we know, we are the only shot the universe has at intelligent self-organization. Therefore, we need to take it seriously.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-manson/for-all-we-know-we-are-the-only-shot-the-universe-has-at-intelligent/) [Mark Manson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-manson/) > [“The smallest thing in this universe is an intelligent living creature. He sets himself to be imaginary in the premises of arrogant scientist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/the-smallest-thing-in-this-universe-is-an-intelligent-living-creature/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [“Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the rise of science is not that the early scientists searched for natural laws, confident that they existed,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodney-stark/perhaps-the-most-remarkable-aspect-of-the-rise-of-science-is-not-that/) [Rodney Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rodney-stark/) > [On the return trip home, gazing through 240,000 miles of space toward the stars and the planet from which I had come, I suddenly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edgar-mitchell/on-the-return-trip-home-gazing-through-240-000-miles-of-space-toward/) [Edgar Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edgar-mitchell/) > [I'm sure the universe is full of intelligent life. It's just been too intelligent to come here.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-c-clarke/i-m-sure-the-universe-is-full-of-intelligent-life-it-s-just-been-too/) [Arthur C. Clarke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-c-clarke/) > [A hydrogen bomb, for me, was puny compared to the Big Bang - the creation of the universe. That's what I really wanted to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michio-kaku/a-hydrogen-bomb-for-me-was-puny-compared-to-the-big-bang-the-creation/) [Michio Kaku](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michio-kaku/) > [“You can't photograph the hugest mysteries of the universe that really have nothing to do with what shows up before your eyes, under a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-plum-ucci/you-can-t-photograph-the-hugest-mysteries-of-the-universe-that-really/) [Carol Plum-Ucci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-plum-ucci/) > [It is far better to grasp the universe as it really is than to persist in delusion, however satisfying and reassuring.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-sagan/it-is-far-better-to-grasp-the-universe-as-it-really-is-than-to/) [Carl Sagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-sagan/) ## More by Ian Bremmer > [Strong states and blocs of strong states are the only source of power and legitimacy capable of driving an international agenda in today's world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/strong-states-and-blocs-of-strong-states-are-the-only-source-of-power/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I absolutely am an environmentalist. I am probably more of an environmentalist than most people who live in the world, but I think that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/i-absolutely-am-an-environmentalist-i-am-probably-more-of-an/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Berlin is still a very edgy place, a very cosmopolitan place. It's a place where completely different ideas and cultures come together and clash…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/berlin-is-still-a-very-edgy-place-a-very-cosmopolitan-place-it-s-a/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [There is always the risk that a conflagration in the Middle East becomes larger and more dangerous. In this scenario, we discover that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/there-is-always-the-risk-that-a-conflagration-in-the-middle-east/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [State capitalism is about more than emergency government spending, implementation of more intelligent regulation, or a stronger social safety net. It's about state dominance…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/state-capitalism-is-about-more-than-emergency-government-spending/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I believe that if you go and ask a chief executive of a Goldman Sachs or a BP, and they answer you honestly they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/i-believe-that-if-you-go-and-ask-a-chief-executive-of-a-goldman-sachs/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [In environments where corporations become too interventionist and capture regulation themselves, the government must be able to battle back so that the people have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/in-environments-where-corporations-become-too-interventionist-and/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Academics were not a challenge when I was fifteen in college. The challenge was figuring out how to fit in socially.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/academics-were-not-a-challenge-when-i-was-fifteen-in-college-the/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [The two world wars boosted American power and devastated potential rivals to an extent that could not have lasted more than a few decades.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/the-two-world-wars-boosted-american-power-and-devastated-potential/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I would rather people not smoke. I certainly appreciate the fact that smoking is not legal in restaurants and bars. That used to stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/i-would-rather-people-not-smoke-i-certainly-appreciate-the-fact-that/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [Climate is a global issue. Coal is still the energy that is being used more than anything else to make electricity. The United States…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/climate-is-a-global-issue-coal-is-still-the-energy-that-is-being-used/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [We're wealthy people. We're sitting here in New York, Washington. We live in a fantastically wealthy country. We don't have to worry about food.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/we-re-wealthy-people-we-re-sitting-here-in-new-york-washington-we/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I think the best way to control a population is to urbanize and to educate women. We have seen historically in many, many countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/i-think-the-best-way-to-control-a-population-is-to-urbanize-and-to/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [NASA is increasingly not the future of space exploration. I love the fact that we have private sector folks devoting a lot of money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/nasa-is-increasingly-not-the-future-of-space-exploration-i-love-the/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) > [I was fifteen in college at Tulane. I lied about my age in college so that I could be normal socially. So that girls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-bremmer/i-was-fifteen-in-college-at-tulane-i-lied-about-my-age-in-college-so/) [Ian Bremmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) [Explore all 44 Ian Bremmer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-bremmer/) ## More Bigs quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [It is said that history turns on small hinges. A human career, too, results from an accumulating series of decisions about large and small…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-vincent-peale/it-is-said-that-history-turns-on-small-hinges-a-human-career-too/) [Norman Vincent Peale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-vincent-peale/) > [I'm a true believer in prayer, a big believer in prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-jackson/i-m-a-true-believer-in-prayer-a-big-believer-in-prayer/) [Janet Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-jackson/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [The only regret I have in my career, is my managers wanted a big payday, and I wanted four or five more fights before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerry-cooney/the-only-regret-i-have-in-my-career-is-my-managers-wanted-a-big/) [Gerry Cooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerry-cooney/) > [It goes to show you how we in the press so often miss the big stories that are right under our noses. There is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ebert/it-goes-to-show-you-how-we-in-the-press-so-often-miss-the-big-stories/) [Roger Ebert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ebert/) > [Okay, so I'll admit I'm curious. Big deal. We both know what that leads to. Dead cat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-elizabeth-phillips/okay-so-i-ll-admit-i-m-curious-big-deal-we-both-know-what-that-leads/) [Susan Elizabeth Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-elizabeth-phillips/) > [I don't want this to be a distraction. This has been distracting enough. I'm not going to rehash this going forward. I'm sure other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-werth/i-don-t-want-this-to-be-a-distraction-this-has-been-distracting/) [Jayson Werth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-werth/) > [I didn't get how big it was until I went home, turned on the television and saw it on all the news, and later…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/i-didn-t-get-how-big-it-was-until-i-went-home-turned-on-the/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [It’s a small thing to help one animal, but to that one animal it’s a big thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-baur/it-s-a-small-thing-to-help-one-animal-but-to-that-one-animal-it-s-a/) [Gene Baur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-baur/) > [Since I was a little child, my nose - I think it's too big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celine-dion/since-i-was-a-little-child-my-nose-i-think-it-s-too-big/) [Celine Dion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celine-dion/) > [People forget that there is a big difference between coercion and persuasion. The idea that evangelism is coercive is nonsense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/people-forget-that-there-is-a-big-difference-between-coercion-and/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I turn a lot of stuff down - big, big movies, the kind I wouldn't want to go to the cinema to see.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-fox/i-turn-a-lot-of-stuff-down-big-big-movies-the-kind-i-wouldn-t-want-to/) [Matthew Fox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-fox/) > [I got in trouble my whole life for having a big mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-tyler/i-got-in-trouble-my-whole-life-for-having-a-big-mouth/) [Steven Tyler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-tyler/) [Browse all 15,539 Bigs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigs/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The real question is not are there other forms of life in the universe, but are there other intelligent forms of life out there right now. 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