Any intelligent civilizations in our galaxy may have already reached the same barrier that humans here on earth are finding. That is, the universe is too big to explore by any one intelligent species in our galaxy or the next. We are all limited by time, distance and the speed of light.
But like us they may have found through their consciousness that this vast physical gap can be overcome through the realization of the Self by the self. IOW, the process of enlightenment will clear away the barrier of space and time. http://qz.com/681059/why-the-discovery-of-earth-like-planets-could-spell-doom-for-humanity/?utm_source=YPL http://qz.com/681059/why-the-discovery-of-earth-like-planets-could-spell-doom-for-humanity/?utm_source=YPL
