Abstract Some measures of biologic complexity, including maximal levels of brain development, are exponential functions of time through intervals of 106 to 109 yrs. Biological interactions apparently stimulate evolution but physical conditions determine the time required to achieve a given level of complexity. Trends in brain evolution suggest that other organisms could attain human levels within ∼ 107 yrs. The number (N) and longevity (L) terms in appropriate modifications of the Drake Equation, together with trends in the evolution of biological complexity on Earth, could provide rough estimates of the prevalence of life forms at specified levels of complexity within the Galaxy. If life occurs throughout the cosmos, exponential evolutionary processes imply that higher intelligence will soon (109 yrs) become more prevalent than it now is. Changes in the physical universe become less rapid as time increases from the Big Bang. Changes in biological complexity may be most rapid at such later times. This lends a unique and symmetrical importance to early and late universal times.
Exponential evolution: Implications for intelligent extraterrestrial life
Advances in Space Research ; 3 , 9 ; 95-103
1983-01-01
9 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
'EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE' COMPETITION
Online Contents | 1996
International Law Implications of the Detection of Extraterrestrial Intelligent Signals
British Library Conference Proceedings | 1986
|