What if we are one of the galaxy's "brains"
Like the really big dinosaurs that needed more than one brain (really a
an extra bundling of neurons along their bodies to help out the real
gray matter way up in the skull), our Milky Way may be evolving and
made intelligent life to become aware. And since our galaxy is so vast,
it needs quite a few "brains" to cover everything.
I know, it's sheer speculation, but I always like this idea. And who
knows, if we live long enough, we could make it happen.