A berserker probe is a hypothetical or fictional type of Von Neumann probe (a space-faring self-replicating machine) that has been deliberately (or inadvertantly) designed to sterilize the entire galaxy so that life cannot emerge, and/or destroy all existing life in its path as the probes spread outward at an exponentially increasing rate across the galaxy.

It has been speculated that the entire galaxy could be sterilized in this way in as little as half a million years. The technology required for the construction of such probes do not currently exist and would likely require advanced molecular assembling nanotechnology and artificial intelligence.

Currently, there is no evidence that berserker probes exist or have ever existed. The fact that life exists on Earth is a possible data point suggesting that a fleet of berserker probes has yet to sweep across our galaxy.

It is not immediately obvious as to why the galaxy hasn't already been sterlized in this way. All it would require is one malevolent, nihilistic or xenophobic extraterrestrial civilization, group, or individual with the requisite technologies and motivation. Also, it is conceivable that berserker probes could inadvertantly "mutate" from life-bearing Von Neumann probes.

Another possibility is that berserker probes, in order to remain energy efficient, remain dormant until awakened by signs of advanced intelligence, such as radio signals.

It's also possible that no advanced extraterrestrial civilization has ever dared to develop such an apocalyptic technology. That being said, the question as to why there is no evidence for the existence of benign Von Neumann probes remains unanswered in the form of the Fermi Paradox.

Popular culture

In the computer game Star Control II, the Slylandro Probe is an out-of-control self-replicating probe. They were not originally intended to be a berserker probe, they sought out intelligent life to make peaceful contact with but due to a programming error they would immediately switch to "resource extraction" mode when they succeeded.

In Iain Banks' novel Excession, Hegemonising swarms are described as a form of Outside Context Problem. An example of a Aggressive Hegemonising Swarm Object is given as an uncontrolled self-replicating probe with the goal of turning all matter into copies of itself. After causing great damage, they are reprogrammed by The Culture and become Evangelical Hegemonising Swarm Objects.

Mantrid Drones from the science fiction television series Lexx were an extremely agressive type of self-replicating berserker machine, eventually converting the majority of the matter in the universe into copies of themselves in the course of their quest to thoroughly exterminate humanity.

In the popular science fiction novel Berserker by Fred Saberhagen, a series of short stories include accounts of battles fought against extremely destructive berserker machines.

See also

• grey goo
• interstellar travel
• space colonization
• Von Neumann machine
• Von Neumann probe