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In 1961, astronomer Frank Drake formulated the now famous equation, that bears his name, as he was putting together the agenda for the first scientific meeting on the search for extra-terrestrial intelligence (SETI). His goal was not to quantify the number of intelligent, communicating extra-terrestrial civilizations but rather to summarize the factors when considering the probability of advanced extra-terrestrial life.

Below is slightly revised, interactive version of the Drake Equation putting more in layman terms. Feel free to input your own responses into Frank Drake’s famous equation.

  • Select an answer for each of the blue rectangles under the red arrow by clicking in each cell and using the pull down option.
  • To reset your responses, refresh the page.
  • For more information on how to use the calculator, see the video below the calculator.

Demo Video

Categories: Outreach & Education