Re: orders of magnitude

Dan Clemmensen (Dan@Clemmensen.ShireNet.com)
Sat, 16 Aug 1997 07:45:32 -0400


Anton Sherwood wrote:
>
> "There are hundreds of billions of stars in
> the galaxy, and if only one in a million had
> planets, and if only one in a million of those
> had life, and if one in a million of those had
> intelligent life, there could be millions of
> intelligent civilizations out there."
> -Jodie Foster in Contact

This was one of the most egregious science blunders in
an otherwise scientifically excellent movie. I turned to
my daughter as we listened to this an said "the numbers don't
work!" She already had a grimace on her face.