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Values for the Terms in the Drake Equation

-- | November 21, 2015

Question: I am conducting research on the Drake Equation. I am having trouble locking down set values. I can only find estimations of the viable planets but what I need are the actual numbers to plug into the equation. Can you help? — Christopher

Answer: The Wikipedia page on the Drake Equation contains some estimates, both past and current, for the variables in the Drake Equation. You might want to start there, then follow some of the references associated with each quantity to assess its viability.

Jeff Mangum

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