This is without a doubt the most likely explanation for the Fermi Paradox. It’s not that life is such a unique phenomenon, it’s just that it’s incredibly fragile. When you have all your eggs in one planetary basket, it’s only a matter of time before that basket gets kicked and then you’re fucked. This is why a mission to colonise Mars isn’t just a vanity project or a bit of national dick waving like the moon landings of the 20th century. If we can successfully transplant our species onto another planet, we’ve got a shot of surviving long term. Not just us, but life in general, in our corner of the galaxy. Because that should give us enough time to spread beyond our solar system, eventually fracturing into countless different species, exploring and living in this little bit of the universe and maybe even one day meeting creatures who managed to do the same. But first, we have to leave our comfort zone.