Linear Equations...Drake's Guide to L-O-V-E


I have recently listened to a podcast from NPR about the Drake equation.
More on that later.
For now - here's the equation for the probability of finding a mate.


On NPR's radio broadcast "This American Life", the episode airing Valentines day started with a clip about Harvard physics graduate students.

These students were postulating (post coffee-break) on whether the Drake equation could be applied to the probability on whether they could find a girlfriend. Drake's equation estimates the probability of finding intelligent life in our universe by employing a number of factors that quantify otherwise unquantifiable things. By analogy, if the factors that estimate our probability of finding "the one" can be quantified, ultimately that probability can be estimated as well.

Some of my favorite factors are :
i) the fraction of the remaining that actually go on to develop life
followed by ii) the fraction that actually go on to develop intelligent life
and then iii) the fraction that will develop a technology that releases detectable signs of their existence into space
These are my favorites because it's interesting to draw the analogous factors for a potential relationship from the factors.

I think I did okay in my adaptation of the equation - but, it's up for peer review.

Comments

Brian said…
This seems like a very significant contribution to the scientific community. Brava!
9:44 PM
Mike said…
Finally, an equation to solve all of life's mysteries...well...at least one really big one.
10:56 PM
Jess said…
It's awesome. We still need to test it on a male, and ourselves of course.
8:43 PM
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