[fbreton]

If I understand this study correctly, their conclusion is that it is likely that intelligent species are very rare in the universe. This still implies a "Great Filter", but it would have to be behind us.

[logfromblammo]

We're only about 5.5 billion years away from intelligent species being either very common in this galaxy, or completely nonexistent.

Which is to say that we need to start building interstellar transport vessels soon.