So, first thing--This wasn't created by the Drake you're probably thinking of. Dragons can't use pencils, so they couldn't write it down.
I mean, Sir Francis Drake didn't do it. Astronomer Frank Drake did it instead. Not sure about any possible relationship there.
The Equation itself is used, in some ways, to prove that aliens are out there. Or rather, that it's ridiculous to believe we're alone in the universe. Some also consider it justification for searching for signals from alien civilizations.
So, to the actual equation, in a simple version:
R* stands for the number of stars formed each year, or the total number of stars out there.
fp stands for what fraction of those stars has planets orbiting them.
ne stands for what fraction of those planets will have life.
fe stands for what fraction of those planets actually gets life.
fi is how many of those planets has life that's actually intelligent.
fc is how many of those intelligent life forms actually gets together to form a civilization
L is how long it would take for them to actually release a signal that we can understand, and for it to get to us.
All of that gets multiplied up to N, the number of technologically advanced societies in the Milky Way Galaxy.
One of the links below will lead you to a page where you can play with the numbers yourself, but basically, it pretty much guarantees that there is someone out there. That, even in just the Milky Way Galaxy, there is another civilization that could talk to us.
Source:
Astronomers EDU- Drake Equation
Arizona State University- How Many Aliens Are There?
Information Is Beautiful- Drake
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