Astrophysicists spend a surprising amount of time thinking about very big questions. One of those questions is whether intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe.

In the 1960s astronomer Frank Drake proposed a way to estimate how many technological civilizations might exist in our galaxy. The formula, now known as the Drake Equation, includes several factors: how many stars there are, how many planets might support life, and how often life becomes intelligent.

But one of the most important terms in the equation may be the last one: how long a civilization survives once it becomes technologically advanced.

If civilizations typically last millions of years, the universe should be teeming with detectable signals. If they last only a few thousand years, the chances of two civilizations existing at the same time — and noticing each other — become much smaller.

Astrophysicist Ethan Siegel recently wrote an interesting essay exploring this idea and suggesting that a civilization lifetime of roughly 5,000 years might not be unrealistic.

Considering that our modern technological era is only about two centuries old, that’s a sobering thought.

Astrophysicists do come up with some strange things to think about.

But sometimes the strange questions are the most interesting ones.

Read the full article here:
https://startswithabang.substack.com/p/can-the-drake-equations-final-term?utm_source=post-email-title&publication_id=3253406&post_id=189911465&utm_campaign=email-post-title&isFreemail=true&r=jusf8&triedRedirect=true&utm_medium=email

This might be worth reviewing as well https://yogiwan.us/does-any-of-this-matter/