I would love to try and find MY solution to the Drake equation. According to the Wikipedia article you linked:

• The Drake equation is a probabilistic argument used to estimate the number of active, communicative extraterrestrial civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy.

Repeat: "Milky Way". Our galaxy is called the Milky Way. Current estimates are that there are 200 trillion galaxies in the observable universe.

The skeptics seem to have calculated the answer to the Drake equation as near zero. I.E. they argue that there is no other life except that found on earth. They assume that there are almost no earth-like planets, that the creation of life was a single unique event - a truly freak accident, and that if intelligent life ever existed, it would not have lasted more than 304 years (so the chances of their intelligent period coinciding with ours is very low).

On the other hand, using numbers proposed by scientists, (as referenced in the Wikipedia article), estimates that the Milky Way galaxy currently contains 15'600'000 currently active intelligent life forms capable of communicating to us.

Multiply that by the 200 trillion galaxies, and we reach a figure of 31'200'000'000'000'000'000 forms of intelligent life currently in existence.

I doubt that we will know the correct answer very soon, but as each year of astronomical research passes. the answer to the Drake equation goes higher.

In the event that we were to detect an intelligent radio signal from any region of space, it would blow the maths out of the water. The low-end estimate of "zero", would have to move - alot.

I think we will detect that signal soon. The SETI project is barely a few years old compared to the history of man. Their first discovery cannot be that far away.