How dark energy could reshape search for extraterrestrial life
What's the story
The search for extraterrestrial life has long been a quest in the scientific community. More than 50 years ago, the Drake Equation was developed as a tool to explore the possibility.
Now, physicist Daniele Sorini from Durham University in the UK and his team have introduced a new factor into this equation: the influence of dark energy on star formation rates across the universe.
Cosmic influence
Dark energy's role in star formation
Dark energy, an unknown force accelerating the universe's expansion, makes up about 71.4% of the universe's matter-energy content.
This force is crucial for star formation as it counteracts gravity's inward pull, which could otherwise create overly dense matter clumps unfit for star creation.
Sorini and his team have calculated this matter conversion rate for different dark energy densities to find optimal conditions for star formation.
Star creation
Optimal conditions for star formation discovered
The research team found that stars form most efficiently when 27% of the universe's matter is being converted into stars.
However, in our own universe, this conversion rate is just 23%.
This finding implies that we may not be living in the most conducive universe for life, possibly increasing the chances of intelligent life existing elsewhere.
Life variables
Other factors influencing the emergence of intelligent life
Apart from star formation rates, other factors such as the number of stars with planets and those with habitable conditions also affect the chances of intelligent life.
Unknown factors like how life's building blocks are delivered and evolve into a system also contribute.
Theoretical physicist Lucas Lombriser from the University of Geneva in Switzerland said he was excited to use this model to explore life's emergence across different universes.