The percolation theory hypothesis suggests that the growth of civilizations may be limited by the laws of physics and the carrying capacity of planetary environments.
Percolation theory is a statistical physics and mathematics theory that describes the behavior of a network when nodes or links are added. It deals with a phase transition phenomenon, where the network exhibits fundamentally different behavior when the node density is below and above some critical node density (λc).
Percolation theory includes a discussion of:
- Scaling relations between critical exponents
- Calculating critical exponents using series expansion methods
The correlation length was introduced by treating percolation in finite volumes.
Percolation theory is a standard model for disordered systems. It’s used to describe the behavior of clustered components in random networks. It can be applied to explain:
- The movement and filtering of fluids through porous materials
- The electrically conducting behavior of composites
- The properties of branched polymers, gels, and complex ionic conductors
Percolation theory was introduced in 1957 by Broadbent and Hammersley. It’s related to graph and network theories.
The percolation theory hypothesis is a mathematical and physics statistics concept that describes how networks behave when nodes or links are removed. The hypothesis suggests that intelligent life has a finite window of time to spread throughout the universe.
An example of the percolation theory hypothesis is how big a forest fire can get in a model system. In this example, each square of a chessboard either has a tree or doesn’t. The connected components of the random assembly are colored consistently with one color. The question is, if someone comes into the forest and decides to light a fire, how big can the forest fire get in this type of model system.
The percolation theory hypothesis also describes how networks behave when nodes or links are added. This is a geometric type of phase transition. At a critical fraction of addition, the network of small, disconnected clusters merge into significantly larger connected, so-called spanning clusters.
In (5) Fermi paradox is discussed within the limits of the percolation theory (6). The possibility of existence of infinite cluster of Civilizations (using the percolation theory terminology) is considered as the answer to Fermi paradox. It is assumed here, that Civilizations are born at the same moment and that they live infinitely long. Civilizations not belonging to such infinite cluster remain separated, lonely.
We support the view that Civilizations are being born, develop, reach their golden ages and then die. It is possible to understand as dying both destruction, loss of interest to world around them, a cutoff in the development of technologies and the terminations of interaction with surroundings. According to Lipunov (7), each Civilization has a date of birth and the initial life time limited by some specific factors. Possible reason for disappearance of Civilizations is the loss of interest to development – «the universal cause of death of Intellect in the Universe can be connected with loss of its basic functions – knowledge functions» (7). We assume, that the unique reason which can prolong a lifetime of the Civilization, is the contact to other Civilizations. The meeting of Civilizations generates the new purposes and objects of knowledge, necessity to use an Intellect
Universe discoveries 