New 'Drake equation' for alien habitats

[Nyrath]

http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/news/3015/new-drake-equation-quantifies-habitability-alien-worlds

A mathematical equation that counts habitats suitable for alien life could complement the Drake equation, which estimates the probability of finding intelligent alien beings elsewhere in the galaxy.

That equation, developed in 1960 by U.S. astronomer Frank Drake, estimates the probability of intelligent life existing elsewhere in our galaxy by considering the number of stars with planets that could support life (see "Are we alone?").

The new equation, under developed by planetary scientists at the Open University in Milton Keynes, England, aims to develop a single index for habitability based on the presence of energy, solvents such as water, raw materials like carbon and whether or no there are benign environmental conditions.

But I wish they would give us the equation already.

[McCoy]

But I wish they would give us the equation already.
Until we find another technological civilization, it is still attempting to plot a curve from a single point.

The universe, probably the galaxy, is just too honking big for us to be the only show in town. How many others? How close? Insuficent data.

[Clonus]

Until we find another technological civilization, it is still attempting to plot a curve from a single point.

The universe, probably the galaxy, is just too honking big for us to be the only show in town. How many others? How close? Insufficient data.

The Drake equation is entirely arbitrary. An equation aimed at calculating the odds of habitability by human-like organisms has a lot more of interest to offer.

[McCoy]

The Drake equation is entirely arbitrary. An equation aimed at calculating the odds of habitability by human-like organisms has a lot more of interest to offer.
Drake equation can do that. Let N = 1, disreguard "L," set f sub i and f sub c at 1, and solve for f sub l. Answer's going to be as good as your data, and we have educated guesses for the value of R* and f sub p, and pretty much WAG's for the rest of the factors (except they cannot be zero). We don't even know what n sub e is for our own solar system is.

[Lawnmower Boy]

Until we find another technological civilization, it is still attempting to plot a curve from a single point.



Pff. The curve is the easy part. Just look it up in the textook. It's getting the equipment to work that's the hard part.