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Frank Drake Quotes


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Quotes by Frank Drake

Showing 1-10 of 12 Quotes by Frank Drake

Nature never uses prime numbers. But mathematicians do.

~Frank Drake

Topics: Mathematicians Nature Never Numbers Prime Uses

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While NASA talks about 'Are we alone?' as a number one question, they are putting zero money into searching for intelligent life. There's a big disconnect there.

~Frank Drake

Topics: About Alone Big Disconnect Intelligent Intelligent Life Life Money Nasa Number Putting Question Searching Talks While Zero

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The story seems to be that almost every star has a planetary system... and, also, the definition of 'habitable zone' has expanded. In our system, it used to be that only Mars and Earth were potentially habitable. Now we've got an ocean on Europa... Titan.

~Frank Drake

Topics: Almost Also Definition Earth Every Got Mars Now Ocean Only Our Planetary Potentially Seems Star Story System Used Were Zone

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No company is hiring anyone to search for messages from aliens. Most people don't seem to think there's much benefit to it. The lack of interest is, I think, because most people don't realize what even a simple detection would really mean.

~Frank Drake

Topics: Alien Anyone Because Benefit Company Detection Even Hiring Interest Lack Mean Messages Most Much People Realize Really Search Seem Simple Think Would I Think

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In 1957, I was studying the Pleiades star cluster at Harvard University's radio observatory. On one occasion, we saw an added feature in the data. It turned out to be an amateur radio enthusiast near the observatory, but at the time, I thought we had detected clear evidence of another civilisation.

~Frank Drake

Topics: Added Amateur Another Civilisation Clear Cluster Data Enthusiast Evidence Feature Had Harvard Near Occasion Out Radio Saw Star Studying Thought Time Turned University

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There was a magic about pulsars... no other things in the sky had such labels on them. Each one had its own distinct pulsing frequency, so it could be identified by anybody, including other creatures, after a long period of time and far, far away.

~Frank Drake

Topics: About After Anybody Away Could Creatures Distinct Each Each One Far Far Away Frequency Had Identified Including Labels Long Long Period Magic Other Own Period Sky Them Things Time

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We send messages all the time, free of charge. There's a big shell out there now, 80 light-years around us. A civilization only a little more advanced than we are can pick those things up.

~Frank Drake

Topics: Advanced Around Big Charge Civilization Free Little Messages More Now Only Out Pick Send Shell Than Things Those Time Up Us

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If you're sending a message to extraterrestrials, what you want to send is what's special about us and our planet - what is unusual. Now, that's not basic chemistry or mineralogy; it's pretty much the cultural stuff and the consequences of evolution.

~Frank Drake

Topics: About Basic Chemistry Consequences Cultural Evolution Extraterrestrial Message Much Now Our Our Planet Planet Pretty Send Sending Special Stuff Unusual Us Want You

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The pulsar map is not dangerous at all. It will likely never even be seen by extraterrestrials.

~Frank Drake

Topics: Dangerous Even Extraterrestrial Likely Map Never Seen Will

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Right now, there could well be messages from the stars flying right through this room. Through you and me. And if we had the right receiver set up properly, we could detect them. I still get chills thinking about it.

~Frank Drake

Topics: About Could Detect Flying Get Had Me Messages Now Properly Receiver Right Room Set Stars Still Them Thinking Through Up Well You

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Biography

Nationality: American

Type: Scientist

Born: May 28th, 1930

Links

Find Frank Drake on Amazon

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