One of the most exhilarating topics in astronomy to me is the search for extraterrestrial life. The Drake Equation is one way to estimate the number of active and communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way. This equation was formulated in 1961 by Frank Drake to stimulate intellectual discussion about the factors that influence extraterrestrial life development. The equation contains several variables such as the rate of stars suitable for development of intelligent life, the number of stars that have planetary systems, and the number of planets per star system that could have an environment suitable for life, among others.
Additionally, the Seager Equation, proposed by Dr. Sara Seager, is a parallel version of the Drake equation to estimate the number of habitable planets in the universe. THe equation contains variables such as planets with biosignature gasses and factors in the star’s type and planetary atmosphere to predict whether a planet is hospitable for life. Therefore the Drake equation could be used to estimate the number of civilizations on other planets that are similar to our human civilization, whereas the Seager Equation could approximate the number of extraterrestrial life such as microbes or extremophiles!
NASA’s missions, like the Kepler Space Telescope and the James Webb Space Telescope are designed to find planets in the habitable zone of their stars and use the principles laid out by these two equations to prioritize what star systems they observe. Looking forward, the continued advancement in exoplanet research and astrobiology will bring us closer than ever to answering the question if we are alone in the universe. I am very hopeful that we will be able to find extraterrestrial life in my lifetime, but for now this search will undoubtedly inspire my continued interest in the cosmos.
Jack Abrams Blog 