Alô ETs, disquem 0800-NASA e digam alô: a prevalência de espécies tecnológicas no universo

A New Empirical Constraint on the Prevalence of Technological Species in the Universe

To cite this article:

Frank A. and Sullivan W.T. III. Astrobiology. May 2016, 16(5): 359-362. https://doi.org/10.1089/ast.2015.1418

Source/Fonte: Revista Exame

Published in Volume: 16 Issue 5: May 13, 2016

Online Ahead of Print: April 22, 2016

A. Frank1 and W.T. Sullivan III2

1Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Rochester, Rochester, New York.

2Department of Astronomy and Astrobiology Program, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington.

Address correspondence to:

A. Frank

Department of Physics and Astronomy

University of Rochester

Rochester, NY 14620

E-mail: afrank@pas.rochester.edu

Submitted 5 October 2015

Accepted 16 February 2016

Abstract

In this article, we address the cosmic frequency of technological species. Recent advances in exoplanet studies provide strong constraints on all astrophysical terms in the Drake equation. Using these and modifying the form and intent of the Drake equation, we set a firm lower bound on the probability that one or more technological species have evolved anywhere and at any time in the history of the observable Universe. We find that as long as the probability that a habitable zone planet develops a technological species is larger than ∼10−24, humanity is not the only time technological intelligence has evolved. This constraint has important scientific and philosophical consequences. 

Key Words: Life—Intelligence—Extraterrestrial life. 

Astrobiology 2016, 359–362.

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