The short version:
They're aestivating (aka, hibernating) to wait for a cooler cosmos because in a cooler cosmos, computation is easier.
If a civilization wants to maximize computation it appears rational to aestivate until the far future in order to exploit the low temperature environment: this can produce a 10^30 multiplier of achievable computation. We hence suggest the "aestivation hypothesis": the reason we are not observing manifestations of alien civilizations is that they are currently (mostly) inactive, patiently waiting for future cosmic eras. This paper analyzes the assumptions going into the hypothesis and how physical law and observational evidence constrain the motivations of aliens compatible with the hypothesis.
Somewhat funnily, one of the authors has noted that this explanation for why we don't see aliens is likely wrong because civilizations would likely still want to collect stars, dust, etc for future usage.
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[1705.03394] That is not dead which can eternal lie: the aestivation hypothesis for
resolving Fermi’s paradox
(Submitted on 27 Apr 2017). Abstract: If a civilization wants to maximize computation it appears rational to aestivate until the far future in order to exploit the low temperature environment: this can produce a $10^{30}$ multiplier of achievable computation. We hence suggest the “aestivation hypothesis”: …
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Interesting, looking at our current situation it is also possible that the most fundamental possible conclusion is correct.
If the team who assess the position of the doomsday clock are right we are closer to destruction than we have ever been in recorded history.
If we prove the self destructing technological society to be the correct outworking, the only mercy is no other race has as far as we know survived to see
Our end, we too may at the end be no more than some puzzling near background signals caught by some life yet to come, but never understood.
I'm with you, +richard brooks. Frankly, the idea that a civilization would give up billions of years worth of processing cycles in an impatience to get faster process speeds is like waiting three hours to do a fifteen minute drive because you can shave ten minutes off of your time. Unless you just like driving fast, you'll get there sooner if you leave now.