Who’s Home?
James Morris & Science Gallery Dublin (IE)
Installation, 2015
The Drake Equation is American astronomer Frank Drake’s attempt at estimating the probability of communicable intelligent life evolving on another planet in the Milky Way.
N=R* x ƒp x ne x ƒl x ƒi x ƒc x L
This number (N) is equal to (the rate of star formation) x (the probability of a star having planets) x (the probability of a planet having the capacity to support life) x (the probability the planet does actually evolve life) x (the probability of intelligent life evolving) x (the probability the intelligent lifeforms have evolved technology capable of communication) x (the average lifespan of such a civilisation).
The most conservative estimates of these variables put the number at twenty, other optimistic estimates at fifty million, and that’s in the Milky Way alone. What does this means for our idea of ‘home’?
About the artist:
James Morris is a Dublin based student who’s enjoyed working at Science Gallery at Trinity College Dublin since 2013, mainly mediating at exhibitions but also writing the occasional article for its blog. Given the opportunity of experience, support, and a theme of personal interest, he thought he’d try out the artistic side of gallery life, and Who’s Home? is the product of this.