Poster: http://www.physics.uwo.ca/colloquia/Colloquia%20Notices/2011_2012/FORGAN%20Colloquium.pdf
Western University
DEPARTMENT OF PHYSICS AND ASTRONOMY
PHYSICS & ASTRONOMY COLLOQUIUM
Date: Thursday, 21st June 2012
Time: 1:30 p.m.
Location: Physics & Astronomy Seminar Room 22
Dr. Duncan Forgan
Institute for Astronomy
Royal Observatory, Edinburgh
“Numerical Astrobiology and the Search for ExtraTerrestrial Life”
ABSTRACT
Traditionally, theoretical studies of extraterrestrial intelligence have been founded on simple calculations such as Drake’s Equation. While a useful first step, these approaches do not fully incorporate the statistical richness of the Galaxy’s stellar and planetary populations. I will review my attempts to improve SETI calculations using Monte Carlo Realisation techniques. This allows us to compare hypotheses for the origin of life and intelligence, using mock galaxies as a playing field.