The excerpt explains that for the sixty-plus years of the Deterrence Era, dark forest theory shaped human history, but scholars never considered it scientifically proven. By the beginning of the Broadcast Era, the major evidence for the theory was still viewed as incomplete, ambiguous, or open to alternative explanations.

The first disputed evidence is Luo Ji’s dark forest experiment, which preceded the destruction of star 187J3X1 and its planetary system. Astronomers object that the observed lightspeed impact might not have been powerful enough to kill the star, making a natural supernova possible; others accept the impact but suggest the projectile, or “photoid,” could itself be a rare natural phenomenon produced by forces such as supermassive black holes.

The second disputed evidence is Trisolaris’s fear of dark forest deterrence. Although this is considered the strongest support for the theory, humanity does not know how Trisolarans reached their conclusions, so the fear cannot count as direct proof. Some scholars propose “delusions of cosmic persecution,” arguing that Trisolarans may have believed in cosmic danger as a cultural or psychological faith born from their harsh evolutionary environment.

The third disputed evidence is the four-dimensional Ring’s use of the phrase “dark forest.” The excerpt argues that the Ring likely copied the term from human historical records in the Rosetta System, and its brief, ambiguous use of the concept does not prove genuine understanding or confirmation.

The excerpt concludes that dark forest theory has become a formal academic field, with models and observations but no decisive proof. As the Broadcast Era begins, politicians and the public remain more invested in belief or disbelief than scholars, and more people begin to treat the theory as a cosmic persecution delusion rather than a confirmed law.