Exam 12: The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence

In principle, the Drake equation should enable us to calculate the exact number of intelligent civilizations capable of interstellar communication in our galaxy right now. However, currently this is not feasible because

If we were to intercept a signal from a civilization that was sent to another of its colonies on the other side of the galaxy, this would be an example of

Which of the following factors in the simplified Drake equation is least well known?

What type of civilization would be able to construct a "Dyson Sphere" around its parent star to capture its radiation?

In the simplified Drake equation, a value of flᵢfₑ = 1 would imply that

Which type of electromagnetic radiation is able to carry the most information?

Given that life on Earth appears to have arisen quite easily and rapidly suggests that the factor flᵢfₑ, in the Drake equation could be close to

Why are radio waves probably the most efficient way to communicate between civilizations?

Intelligence may be subject to convergent evolution because it

The factor fnₒw, in the Drake equation depends on

A dinosaur like a Brontosaurus with a small head and a large body would be expected to have an Encephalization Quotient (EQ) of

Which of the following signals from an advanced civilization would be easiest to detect?

The organisms with the next highest Encephalization Quotient (EQ) ratios after humans are

In the novel Contact by Carl Sagan, an extremely advanced civilization has constructed a labyrinth of wormholes throughout the galaxy. A civilization capable of such a feat would most likely be classified as what kind of civilization?

A SETI search using the 300-meter diameter Arecibo radio telescope can pick up a 10 million Watt at a distance of 1,000 light-years. If we were to detect a similar signal coming from 10,000 light-years away, how powerful would the alien antenna have to be?

If there around 10,000 transmitting civilizations in the Milky Way, then theoretically the Allen Telescope Array, when it is complete, might be capable of detecting a signal within a few

How is intelligence defined in the Drake Equation?

The rare-Earth hypothesis would predict that the factor flᵢfₑ, in the Drake equation should be close to

The range of frequencies that a radio telescope is sensitive to is referred to as its

The range of frequencies that are contained in a particular radio signal is referred to as its