[nvskibum]

I hate to correct the great Krauthammer, but Carl Sagan did not devise the formula to estimate the probability of intelligent life in the universe. The formula was developed by the great visionary radio astronomer Frank Drake, and is known as the "Drake Equation." I believe Drake was the first radio astronomer to use a radio telescope to search for extra-terrestrial intelligence ("SETI"), I think in the early 1960's.

Sagan only popularized Drake's work in his many books.

Krauthammer should not forget his fact checking!

[McGavin999]

The intelligence and knowledge of Freepers just blows me away. You are an excellent example of that. :o)

[ArcLight]

I caught the Drake reference too, but I don't recall that Drake factored in the odds of extinction. Maybe that was Sagan's contribution to the equation?

[Positive]

Here's another slight inaccuracy; Mr. K said WMD have been around for less than 100 years...technically true.

But only around the 1970's did humanity actually accumalate the power to distroy itself. In those years the US and the USSR had amassed sufficient nuclear stockplies to in reality eliminate all life on the planet.