that FTL (faster than light) drive will ever be possible. And don't bother invoking "a species millions of years more advanced" to get to FTL. For one thing, species generally don't live that long. Evolution is ongoing. And the speed of light really is a fixed and inviolable limit.
The whole SETI thing (search for extra-terrestrial intelligence) is a total waste of time. If we actually were to capture and decode something from a distance place in our galaxy, the odds are extremely high that they will be long extinct by the time we hear from them.
Something else to keep in mind. According to My Son The Astronomer, when you get close to the center of the galaxy, there is a LOT more radiation which is not particularly conducive to life as we know it. If there are other intelligent life forms out there, they will probably tend to be on the fringes of our galaxy, as we are. And those on the exact opposite side are at least 50,000 or so light years away.
Something else about SETI. It assumes broadcasting signals. Right now, on this planet, we are broadcasting far less than we did even a few decades ago, because we've gone to sending signals directly to satellites which bounce them back the local towers for the cable providers. Not much is going out into space. Plus, SETI is looking at a wavelength we've NEVER used to broadcast signals, which I find rather bizarre.
There's also the issue of radiation once you get outside the protection of this planet. I strongly recommend How to Die in Space by Paul M. Sutter. It will make you utterly committed to saving this planet.
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