Drake Equation

Congratulations!

You solved your 13th Amazing Bio-Hunt clue! 
In finding the answer to this clue about connection, you would have learned about the Drake equation.
This equation was written by Frank Drake in 1961 as a way to approximate the number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy that would be able to communicate and connect! 

This equation was written by Frank Drake in 1961 as a way to approximate the number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy that would be able to communicate. This idea of extraterrestrial intelligence has been met with quite some controversy as some people believe these civilizations exist and others do not. The search for proof of other life forms began in our own backyard, the Milky Way galaxy.

One of these first hunts began looking for microorganisms in the ground of Mars. In the 1970’s Viking 1 and Viking 2 went to Mars and ran an experiment to test the ground for microorganism. This was done by dropping water into the ground with a heavier isotope of carbon (carbon-14), and then detecting the gases that were produced by the ground. As the heavier isotope was detected, it was taken as potential proof that microorganism in the soil could have metabolized the isotope. As no other organic compounds were detected on Mars, this experiment was taken as a failure and created a bumpy start to the search for other life forms. Now, as science has progressed, there is a new interest in revisiting these areas to look for life on Mars and moons on both Jupiter and Saturn! 

Finding life outside of Earth — even microbial life — would be an important step toward better understanding the Drake equation! Let's keep hunting! 

 

 Image source: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/news/1350/are-we-alone-in-the-universe-revisiting-the-drake-equation/