Legendary Astronomer Frank Drake has Passed Away universetoday.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from universetoday.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
In the decades following the 20th-century space race, it seemed space exploration and the subject as a whole had lost some of its charm. Lack of interest from governments and private investors meant dwindling funds, and the once-bright lure of the cosmos seemed to burn low in the public consciousness. However, in the last few years, the tech investor and science philanthropist Yuri Milner has fanned the flames of the space science sector, reinvigorating the field with a much-needed injection of financing and insight.
Astronomer Frank Drake came up with the famous formula as he prepared for a last-minute meeting in 1961. It still guides the search for intelligent life beyond Earth.