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The solution is that the probes were built by a long ago technological civilization on Earth as a desperate measure in an interstellar war.

The probes are out there and were programmed never to come back to Earth.

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That's a solid plot device and sounds like a fun story! It definitely doesn't pass the customs inspection for use in speculation about the real world, though.

FWIW, it's part of the plot of Andreas Eschbach's Lord of all Things. (IMHO one of his weaker novels, but weirdly one of the few that were translated into English)

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