Check your subscription status, update your details and more. Why the Drake equation is still important 65 years after its creation The Drake equation provides a way to guess how many aliens we might be able to communicate with, but it’s also a prime example of the importance of scientific guessing, says columnist Leah Crane It is the refrain of teachers everywhere preparing their students for standardised tests: “Make an educated guess.” An answer is always better than no answer, they say, and if you can apply what you know to the question to rule out some of the choices, even better. Of course, scientific research isn’t a multiple-choice exam, and its bedrock is the idea that an educated guess without solid evidence just isn’t good enough.
But the concept is still a useful one, particularly when our questions outpace the technology we currently have to answer them. Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with _New Scientist_ events and special offers. #### Space ### Japan is launching a mission to Mars’s largest moon Phobos News #### Space ### Two large asteroids found spinning as fast as a fairground ride News #### Space ### Why gatekeeping is needed in the age of AI News #### Space ### The telescope that could reveal what dark matter and dark energy are Comment Noise-cancelling headphones prevent vomiting after surgery### A revolutionary way of targeting tumours could beat even the worst cancers### Archaeologists are uncovering the meaning of a unique rock art site### Probiotic cuts risk of respiratory infections in formula-fed babies### Neanderthal skeleton found with horrific injuries### Hannah Fry: How OpenAI has caused an existential crisis in mathematics### Antarctica’s ‘doomsday’ glacier will keep melting even if oceans cool### Will physics be the next field to be turned upside down by AI?### We’re finally learning what happens to gifted children in adulthood### Do AIs already process information in a way that gives rise to consciousness?
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