Astrophysicists from Durham University have developed a new model to estimate the likelihood of intelligent life forming in our universe—and even in hypothetical universes beyond ours.
This model builds on the famous Drake Equation, created in the 1960s by astronomer Dr. Frank Drake, which aimed to calculate the number of detectable extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way.
Instead of focusing on our galaxy, this new approach examines the conditions across the universe, particularly the role of dark energy and the rate of star formation.
Stars are essential for the emergence of life as we know it. The new model looks at how much ordinary matter is converted into stars throughout a universe’s history.
It also considers the role of dark energy, the mysterious force that drives the universe’s expansion and makes up more than two-thirds of it.
The researchers calculated the fraction of matter turned into stars for different levels of dark energy density.
They found that universes with higher dark energy densities could still support life, but ours seems to be unusual.
The model predicts that a universe most efficient at forming stars would convert about 27% of its matter into stars, compared to only 23% in our universe.
This suggests that we don’t live in the universe with the best odds for forming life. Instead, the properties of our universe, including its dark energy density, make it a rare case in a potential multiverse of other universes.
Dark energy is key to understanding the balance between the universe’s expansion and the formation of stars and galaxies.
For life to exist, there must be regions where matter clumps together to form stars and planets, and these regions need to stay stable for billions of years to allow life to evolve.
Lead researcher Dr. Daniele Sorini explained, “Understanding dark energy and its impact on our universe is one of the biggest challenges in cosmology.
Surprisingly, we found that even much higher levels of dark energy than we have now could still support life.”
This means that while our universe isn’t the most optimal for creating life, it still works—and its unique properties may explain why we are here.
The study’s findings open up exciting possibilities for exploring the conditions needed for life in different universes. Co-author Professor Lucas Lombriser from the Université de Genève noted, “It will be fascinating to use this model to understand how life might emerge in other universes and whether some of our biggest questions about our own universe need to be reconsidered.”
The original Drake Equation was designed as a guide for scientists to estimate the number of extraterrestrial civilizations. It considered factors like the number of stars with planets and the fraction of planets that could support life.
This new model takes a broader approach, linking star formation rates to fundamental ingredients like dark energy density.
While the new model doesn’t aim to count intelligent beings, it helps us understand the conditions that make life possible. By studying how stars form and how dark energy affects the universe’s structure, scientists are uncovering clues about the origins of life—and whether we might not be alone in the cosmos.
The research, published in Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, brings us one step closer to understanding the mysteries of life in the universe and beyond.
