| rdfs:comment | - Mankind has explored the galaxy, and in some stories the universe, and it turns out the truth isn't out there. There are no aliens, at least intelligent ones -- although there may be a few cursory alien plants and rodents or perhaps a Monster of the Week. The Monster of the Week role will generally be handled by humans, genetically engineered monsters, and robots. Compare Invisible Aliens, in which aliens exist but are being hidden or removed by Applied Phlebotinum. Examples of Absent Aliens include:
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| abstract | - Mankind has explored the galaxy, and in some stories the universe, and it turns out the truth isn't out there. There are no aliens, at least intelligent ones -- although there may be a few cursory alien plants and rodents or perhaps a Monster of the Week.
* Not every sci-fi plot requires aliens
* Avoids Rubber Forehead Aliens, and saves having to think up decent Starfish Aliens
* Isolates humanity in the depressing void of space
* Makes humans even more special
* Saves on the effects budget.
* Makes it easier to make characters relatable and believable.
* Is consistent with the fact that no aliens have yet been found. (See Mohs Scale of Sci Fi Hardness.)
* In an attempt to be different and appeal to those who "don't like sci-fi".
* Even if aliens did theoretically exist, in settings where the population is confined to a single star system and there is no FTL, neither humanity nor the aliens would be in any position to encounter the other.
* Theoretically, intelligence could be a rare evolutionary fluke, rare at least elsewhere in the Milky Way. Even if intelligence evolves on other planets, it may be extinct by the time humans leave the Solar System, or alternatively, humanity could be extinct by the time aliens leave their home system. Thus, even interstellar civilizations may be separated by immense distances or timescales, and unlikely to interact. The Monster of the Week role will generally be handled by humans, genetically engineered monsters, and robots. Compare Invisible Aliens, in which aliens exist but are being hidden or removed by Applied Phlebotinum. Thus far true in Real Life, for a more detailed explanation, read about Fermi's Paradox over at The Other Wiki, as it's a good introduction to the topic. Examples of Absent Aliens include:
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