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Finding true love as rare as finding aliens?
Edmonton Journal ^ | unkown | Reuters

Posted on 05/15/2010 11:47:12 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld

Romance may happen every day, but finding true love in London is as rare as aliens in the galaxy, says one London-based economist.

Peter Backus, a teaching fellow of economics at the University of Warwick, has calculated that he has a 0.00034 percent chance of finding love in the British capital using the same "Drake" equation scientists use to determine the potential number of extra-terrestrials in our galaxy.

American astronomer and astrophysicist Frank Drake devised his namesake equation in the early 1960s.

The 31-year-old Backus -- who lives on a narrow boat in central London -- is not even that particular about his ideal match, requiring only that she be a London-based female, aged 24-34, with a university education.

"I am not trying to be an elitist or anything," he said about his educational requirements. "Everyone has preferences. I just think we would have more in common."

(Excerpt) Read more at canada.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: aliens; astronomy; drakeequation; frankdrake; love; relationships; romance; spacealiens; statistics; weird
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1 posted on 05/15/2010 11:47:12 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
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A rather interesting use of the Drake Equation.


2 posted on 05/15/2010 11:53:48 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("You hit somebody with your fist and not with your fingers spread:-General Heinz Guderian)
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To: sonofstrangelove

Basically what Steven Hawking has already said: don’t go looking for aliens. They’re more likely to be like your first wife than the queen of your dreams.


3 posted on 05/15/2010 11:55:11 PM PDT by FredZarguna (I wonder what "bitte bitte"means?)
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To: sonofstrangelove

No luck with either here.


4 posted on 05/15/2010 11:58:40 PM PDT by allmost
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To: sonofstrangelove

Not all university educations are equal... neither are all who receive them.


5 posted on 05/16/2010 12:10:23 AM PDT by antceecee (Bless us Father.. have mercy on us and protect us from evil.)
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To: sonofstrangelove
Peter Backus, a teaching fellow of economics at the University of Warwick, has calculated that he has a 0.00034 percent chance of finding love in the British capital using the same "Drake" equation scientists use to determine the potential number of extra-terrestrials in our galaxy.

And the Drake equation does even take into account the likelihood that you are a complete twit which the alien civilization won't want to have anything to do with no matter how much you tell them how wonderful you are.

6 posted on 05/16/2010 12:15:08 AM PDT by KarlInOhio (I am so immune to satire that I ate three Irish children after reading Swift's "A Modest Proposal")
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To: sonofstrangelove

>Finding true love as rare as finding aliens?

Couldn’t we increase our chances of finding aliens by going to LA or one of the sanctuary-cities?


7 posted on 05/16/2010 12:19:37 AM PDT by OneWingedShark (Q: Why am I here? A: To do Justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with my God.)
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To: OneWingedShark
I think he is referring to space aliens. But you can find illegal aliens you want in LA
8 posted on 05/16/2010 12:21:06 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("You hit somebody with your fist and not with your fingers spread:-General Heinz Guderian)
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To: sonofstrangelove
The Drake Equation tatt:


9 posted on 05/16/2010 12:24:01 AM PDT by Daffynition ("Play it, Sam, for old times' sake, play 'As Time Goes By'.")
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To: Daffynition

That is a long equation.


10 posted on 05/16/2010 12:25:21 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("You hit somebody with your fist and not with your fingers spread:-General Heinz Guderian)
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To: Daffynition

hit activesetive comps mam

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6YOq2xn3k4&feature=related


11 posted on 05/16/2010 12:28:01 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: sonofstrangelove

work it


12 posted on 05/16/2010 12:28:35 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: sonofstrangelove
Pictorially, yes. Then there's this ...


13 posted on 05/16/2010 12:29:34 AM PDT by Daffynition ("Play it, Sam, for old times' sake, play 'As Time Goes By'.")
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To: Daffynition

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Attractor

lol


14 posted on 05/16/2010 12:31:00 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: Daffynition
To a certain extent the Drake equation has been discredited. But the equation has expanded even more over the years.
15 posted on 05/16/2010 12:31:52 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("You hit somebody with your fist and not with your fingers spread:-General Heinz Guderian)
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To: happinesswithoutpeace
With all the talk lately of multiple universe and gravity being able to pass between them, I'm surprised there's not much talk about that being dark matter or any other gravitation anomaly.
16 posted on 05/16/2010 12:36:26 AM PDT by Tolsti2
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To: Tolsti2

They are talking about dark matter. It is always in either in Scientific American or those magazine.


17 posted on 05/16/2010 12:39:09 AM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld ("You hit somebody with your fist and not with your fingers spread:-General Heinz Guderian)
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To: OneWingedShark

I was going to say people looking for love just need to go to El Paso then.


18 posted on 05/16/2010 12:39:45 AM PDT by rdl6989 (January 20, 2013- The end of an error.)
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To: Tolsti2

All things in time tolsti...also, bb is loz


19 posted on 05/16/2010 12:40:41 AM PDT by happinesswithoutpeace (1.416785(71) x 10^32)
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To: sonofstrangelove

Yeah, they talk about it. But I don’t see them connecting it to M theory branes much, or ever.


20 posted on 05/16/2010 12:43:38 AM PDT by Tolsti2
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