Free Drake Equation Calculator
Estimate the number of detectable civilisations in the Milky Way using the Drake equation: N = R* * fp * ne * fl * fi * fc * L.
/yr
yr
Detectable Civilisations (N)
0.04
Detectable Civilisations (N) vs Civilisation Lifetime (L)
The Drake Equation
N = R* × fp × ne × fl × fi × fc × L
Formulated by Frank Drake in 1961, this is a framework for thinking about extraterrestrial intelligence, not a precise prediction. Estimates of N range from less than 1 to millions.
Example Calculation
Moderate estimates for each parameter.
- 01N = 1.5 × 1.0 × 0.2 × 0.13 × 0.01 × 0.01 × 10000
- 02= 1.5 × 0.2 × 0.13 × 0.01 × 0.01 × 10000
- 03= 1.5 × 0.2 × 0.13 × 1 = 0.039
- 04N ≈ 0.039 (suggests we may be alone in the Galaxy with these values)
- 05Adjusting L to 1 000 000 years gives N ≈ 3.9