The estimates in the Drake equation are not constant but evolve over time based on increased observational evidence.Because of the discovery of over a thousand extrasolar planets,the text chose the value fp = 1 for the fraction of Sunlike stars that have planets.What would you suppose Drake chose for this parameter in 1960?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

In 1960, the knowledge about planets outside our solar system was very limited and therefore Drake may have chosen a value between 0.2 and 0.5 for the parameter fp, which was based on the assumption that most stars have planets but could not be confirmed at the time.

The Estimates in the Drake Equation Are Not Constant but Evolve