"Trapped Intelligence: Why Some Alien Civilizations May Never Reach the Stars"

A new article in the Journal of the British Interplanetary Society explores the possibility of intelligent civilizations being trapped on their home worlds, particularly on ocean worlds or super-Earths with high escape velocities. Elio Quiroga introduces the concept of the exoplanet escape factor (Fex) and fishbowl worlds, which could inhibit space travel and communication for potential extraterrestrial civilizations. These factors add complexity to the Drake equation and raise questions about the potential existence of civilizations that may never know the universe beyond their own worlds.