Lex...<br>1) the first three Drake Equation variables are can easily mislead people. * gotta have a magnetic field protecting your planet. that is as fundamental as apples in apple pie.<br>* so is the stability of a spinning planet around its star. <b>*</b> without that extremely rare lucky glancing blow by the planet called Thea... there would be no long lasting magnetic field and no stable axis spinning planet Earth.<br>* and then there is the right amount of vulcanism. Metal ore deposit made by that force for TECHNOLOGY to be had.<br><br><b>**</b> The Above Could Be a One In Ten Million Chance<br><br>2) how long a communication technology lives is a limit of sorts for the light year distance other potential intelligent life may live. * according to the equation results, space-time renders moot making contact. it becomes out of scope.