Unlucky First Contact
The human species never managed to find peace. Radioactive bones lay scattered among the ruins of their civilization. That is how the aliens found things when they arrived on earth roughly a thousand years too late.
The aliens had seen it time and time again across the great galaxy. The Fermi Paradox, though they called it something different in their language.
Reviving from its reconstruction, Analysis? Queried the commanding insectoid alien.
Interfacing with the commander’s mind, the responding AI replied with respect and remorse. A sad, but common story. Toxic environment, resulting from over population, extreme climate instability leading to a global nuclear conflict, and total intelligent species extinction. All happening prior to their space colonization. They had such potential . . .
It was a nice planet once, it just might still recover, added the AI. Possibly a seed planet in two hundred thousand years.
The archaeological commander issued its orders, mark for re-visitation, take DNA, collect and upload samples for detailed reverse cultural simulation. At least they are just lucky enough, unlike the others, they will live on in simulation, since we got here before most of it all fades to dust.