Frank D. Drake

American astrophysicist

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June 25, 2026

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Frank Drake was an American astrophysicist who played a pivotal role in the search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI). In 1960, he initiated Project Ozma, the first modern SETI search, using a radio telescope to listen for signals from nearby stars. Drake is also known for formulating the Drake equation in 1961. This equation estimates the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way Galaxy by considering factors such as star formation rates, the prevalence of planets, and the likelihood of life evolving to intelligence and developing technology. While the exact values for these factors remain uncertain, the Drake equation provides a framework for thinking about the probability of finding alien life.123

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extraterrestrial intelligence
Radio searches
…SETI experiment was American astronomer Frank Drake’s Project Ozma, which took place in 1960. Drake used a radio telescope (essentially a large antenna) in an attempt to uncover signals from nearby Sun-like stars. In 1961 Drake proposed what is now known as the Drake equation, which estimates the number of
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…SETI experiment was American astronomer Frank Drake’s Project Ozma, which took place in 1960. Drake used a radio telescope (essentially a large antenna) in an attempt to uncover signals from nearby Sun-like stars. In 1961 Drake proposed what is now known as the Drake equation, which estimates the number of
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Project Ozma
Frank D. Drake, director of the search, named the project for the princess of Oz, an imaginary and marvelous distant place described in tales by the American writer L. Frank Baum.
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Frank D. Drake, director of the search, named the project for the princess of Oz, an imaginary and marvelous distant place described in tales by the American writer L. Frank Baum.
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