The Drake Equation at 60: Reconsidered and Abandoned
Abstract
Each of the individual factors of the Drake Equation is considered. Each in turn is either abandoned or redefined and finally reduced to a single new factor, fd, the fraction of technological life that is detectable by any means. However, neither the Drake Equation, nor its replacement, can actually solve for N. Only a vibrant SETI program and, ultimately, contact with an alien civilization might result in the determination of N.
- Publication:
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arXiv e-prints
- Pub Date:
- May 2021
- DOI:
- 10.48550/arXiv.2105.03984
- arXiv:
- arXiv:2105.03984
- Bibcode:
- 2021arXiv210503984G
- Keywords:
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- Physics - Popular Physics;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics
- E-Print:
- 27 pages, Accepted for publication to JBIS