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Originally Posted by
ArianaBlack 
Nika nodded as she looked at the professor with wide eyes. She scratched her notes as a whole and wrote instead of all of that what the professor had told her. That an equation is there and that it's for how many alien civilisations exist in our galaxy. Good enough for her. "Yes, that helps a lot! Thank you professor." Okay hopefully astronomy will start to get easier.
"You're very welcome," he said with a smile. "Erm, before we continue, let me just complete our list on the blackboard..." He turned around and tapped the blackboard several times, brow furrowed in concentration. "First, we have the list of parameters for our very own equation... That looks about right." Risu stepped back.
Calculating the number of extraterrestrial civilisations we can communicate with- Rate of star formation
- Number of stars with planets
- Number of hospitable planets
- Number of hospitable planets that develop any kind of life
- Number of planets with life where the life becomes advanced enough to send out signals
- Length of time the advanced life spends on sending signals
He nodded to himself. "Yep. And now... The Drake equation..." Writing appeared on the right side of the blackboard, each line corresponding to the list on the left as closely as possible.
The Drake equation; N = number of extraterrestrial civilisations we can communicate with
N = R* x fp x ne x fl x fi x fc x L- R* = rate of star formation
- fp = fraction of those stars with planets
- ne = average number of hospitable planets per star with planets
- fl = fraction of those hospitable planets that actually have life
- fi = fraction of those hospitable planets with life that develop intelligent life
- fc = fraction of intelligent life that sends signals into space
- L = length of time this intelligent life continues sending signals
Risu put his wand down on the desk and stepped aside so that everyone had a clear view of the blackboard. "That should be right," he announced, wiping his hands on his robes, where they left grubby lines of chalk.
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Originally Posted by
Starbreeze Eino's attempt to follow the lesson was often interrupted by a sound or sight from outside the window. Nonethless, he had miraculously managed to note most of the lecture and explanations so far. His hand was beginning to cramp, and he was almost positive he hadn't brought a spare bottle of ink. "So..." He began with his hand raised "how exactly do we find the numbers so that we can, umm, equate?" He asked nervously. Wouldn't it take days, months, years, maybe, to gather all that information? That better not be homework.
"Well, that's the question!" Risu said, leaning against the wall next to the blackboard. "And it's a question I pose to you and everyone else in this class. With the specifics of the Drake equation figured out, I would like to ask you to discuss the value of it. As I commented earlier, the equation was first proposed as a way of making the search for alien life scientific. In your opinion, does this equation achieve this?
"Further, if you disagree, why? We've already mentioned a number of criticisms of the equation. The specific values for those factors are practically impossible to figure out accurately. The equation assumes that life on other planets is similar to life on Earth, and so on, needing water, an atmosphere... Are there any other reasons why the equation doesn't seem convincing to you?
"And, on the other hand, are there arguments against those criticisms? For example, isn't it a good idea to search for the kind of life we are familiar with first, since it gives us a possible starting point? Yes? No?" He shrugged. "What do you think?"
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Originally Posted by
Jason Potter Weasley William is confused in the Astronomy class." I am confused" Willaim told the profesor." Can you help me?" William asked the professor.
"And while you do that, I'll try to answer any remaining questions. Yes. What can I help you with?"