Drakes Equation

[yellowlawn]

I would be interested to know how many skeptics out there believe in the theory behind Frank Drakes Equation ()

Do anyone of you believe in the notion his theory represents of the number of extra-terrestrial life forms existing in the universe?

[Nostradamus]

I wouldn't call his formula a theory. That mixes Drake's notion of the word theory with yours.

Drake's equation is used to explain the rationale for supposing the existence of life and even intelligent life in the universe. What it does is it considers the existence in terms of odds. The problem is that the values in the formula were not well known in 1960 when Drake developed the formula. The values are not known today.

Is the rationale for the formula correct? Yes.
Is any value derived from the formula correct? No.

The values for the terms are poorly known.

What do you think of the formula yellowlawn?

[brett]

well heaven help the universe if we ARE the only supposedly intelligent inhabitants of it - it dont say a lot for this supposed gods handiwork

[yellowlawn]

It's interesting to me because

1) If you look up at the heavens above and consider the vastness of space, or you look at the Eagle Nebulae for example and then think all this exists for us? The Centiilions of planets, stars, quasars etc and there is just us! Just a hundred or so years ago you would have believed that notion, then technology moved on and helped us understand more.
2) But if that weren't enough we had to rationalise the whole process with a scientific formula, that Frank Drake came up with
3) To me it's quite similar to the whole field of the paranormal. We are told spirits/ghosts whatever you want to call them are all around, we have numerous people's testimonials, photos, video and even some physical evidence abounds. We have limited technological processes and equipment to measure this, and I'm sure more reliable equipment is on the cards.

I'm sure most scientist would say and agree that it would be very arrogant to state that amongst all the stars and galaxies that surround us we are the only planet containing life. I'm sure when most scientist hear accounts of Alien contact they would laugh and joke. But to outright deny the possibility of alien life existing somewhere else in the universe would probably be absurd. Just in the same way as to deny the existence of spirits/ghosts exist would to me be absurd.

[Nostradamus]

What I like about Drake's Equation is that it formalizes the notion that there is a chance of life out there. As recent years have shown us is that there are planetary systems out there that can be discovered with the technology of today. It makes the possibility of life elsewhere seem more likely although to date we have not found it. If on the other hand we did not find that Drake's Equation implied the likeliness of life out there I think we would drop the search and turn out interests elsewhere.