Skip to main content

ARE WE ALONE?



Is earth a lonely planet?  Is there any other civilization in our milky way galaxy ?  These questions are answered by Drake equation.  First let us see the variables in the equation.

 1. N# - There are roughly 100 billion stars in milky way  galaxy.
2. FP - 20%  to 50% have planetary system.
3. NE- 1 to 5 planets of each star have the capability to sustain life.
4. FL - 0% to 100% of the planets have the capacity to support and evolve life.
5. FI -  In 0 % to 100 % of planets, the intelligent life evolves.
6. FC - 10% to 20% of intelligent life try to communicate.
7. FL - How long the intelligent life survive and communicate? It is tough to guess.  We are communicating using radio waves for last 100 years only. 

 N - If we multiply all the above factors ,  we may get the probable number of intelligent and communicating civilization in our galaxy.

 N = N#*FP*NE*FL*FI*FC*FL
Let us guess the minimum values, substitute in the equation and find the answer.
    = 100 BILLION*50%*1*50%*20%*20%*10000 YEARS
N = 1000 (minimum)

   The answer is 1000 civilizations .  This answer gives some hope for the search of extra terrestrial life.  To find the correct value for the variables in the equation, we have to still learn a lot.

  Post script:  conditions for life to evolve in a planet.
1. A comfortable temperature from -50 degree c to + 50 degree c
2. Water
3. Oxygen and carbon di oxide.cycle by plants ( photosynthesis) and animals (respiration)
4. Proper atmosphere. 
  
Labels:

Comments

  1. Durga Prasad Dash26 April 2017 at 18:56

    I too quite often wonder if there is life elsewhere. And if we could trace and connect how wonderful it could be.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

THE EARTH, A SUPER ORGANISM

     JOIN MY COURSE: "Become a programmer in a day with python"       A man called 'love lock' (what a name) proposed a theory called Gaia theory, named after Greek Goddess.      It says, "Earth is a self-regulating organism like a human being.  The organic life in it interacts with in-organic matter and maintains atmosphere, temperature and environment".  Hence the earth is still suitable for the life to thrive.      Imagine, in a particular place, there are lot of flowers.  Some flowers are white and some are darkly coloured.  We know, white reflects light and heat while dark absorbs the same.  White flowers can thrive in hot climate.  But dark flowers requires cold climate.  The absorption and reflection balances and the environment reaches average, warm temperature at which both the flowers can co-exist.  This is the essence of "Gaia" theory.      On our earth, the oxygen constitute 20% of the atmosphere.  The oxygen level is always mai
3 comments
Read more

THE PARABOLA

          A jet of water shooting from a hose pipe will follow a parabolic path.  What is the so special about parabola.    Y= x^2 Draw a graph for the above equation.  It will result in a parabola.  This parabola is also called unit parabola.  Any equation involving square will yield a parabola. Example:  Y = 2x^2 +3x+3 (also called quadratic equation)    X= 2 and -2, both  satisfies the equation 4 = X^2.  Parabolic equations always have two solutions.     Any motion taking place freely under gravity follows parabolic path. Examples:   An object dropped from a moving train,   A bomb dropped from flying plane,  A ball kicked upwards.      If a beam of light rays fall on the parabolic shaped mirror, they will be reflected and brought to focus on a point.  This fact is made use of in Dish Antenna, Telescope mirrors, etc.      Inverted parabola shape is used in the construction of buildings and bridges.  Because the shape is able to bear more weight.      A plane
Post a Comment
Read more

DISORDER IS THE "ORDER OF THE DAY"

         Imagine a balloon full of air.  The air molecules are moving randomly inside the balloon.  Let us pierce the balloon with a pin.  The air rushes out.  Why should not the air molecules stay inside the balloon safely and ignore the little hole?  That is not the way the world works.  The molecules always "want to occupy as many states as possible".  Hence the air goes out in the open to occupy more volume.   The things always goes into disorder (entropy) and the disorder increases with time.  The above statement is what we call "second law of thermodynamics".      Consider a cup of coffee on the table. Suppose the heat from entire room flows to your cup of coffee, the coffee will boil and the rest of the room will freeze.  Freezing means bringing things to order and arrangement.  It violates the second law.  Hence it will never happen.  Hence heat must flow from high temperature to low temperature and not the other way.        The air molecules in y
Post a Comment
Read more