dark forest hypothesis

noun

A proposed explanation for the Fermi paradox that suggests extraterrestrial civilizations are abundant but remain silent and hidden, positing that any intelligent civilization views others as potential threats and thus actively avoids revealing itself.

OriginChinese 黑暗森林 →
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Meanings

noundark forest hypothesis (uncountable)
  1. uncountablehuman sciencesA proposed explanation for the Fermi paradox that suggests extraterrestrial civilizations are abundant but remain silent and hidden, positing that any intelligent civilization views others as potential threats and thus actively avoids revealing itself.

Origin

  1. Chinese黑暗森林
  2. Englishdark forest hypothesis

From dark + forest + hypothesis. From the title of the novel The Dark Forest (2008) (黑暗森林), by Liu Cixin (刘慈欣), from Chinese 黑暗森林, from 黑暗+森林. Coined by Chinese author Cixin Liu originally in Chinese, then translated into English.

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Cite this entry
APA

dark forest hypothesis. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 4, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20forest%20hypothesis

MLA

“dark forest hypothesis.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20forest%20hypothesis. Accessed November 4, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “dark forest hypothesis,” accessed November 4, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/dark%20forest%20hypothesis.

Source: dark forest hypothesis on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.