“Plate tectonics really jump-starts the evolution machine, and we think we understand why.”Where Is Everyone? In 1961 astronomer Dr. Frank Drake devised an equation in which several factors are multiplied together to estimate the number of intelligent civilizations in our galaxy capable of making their presence known to humans:N = R* x f p x n e x f l x f i x f c x LN: The number of civilizations in the Milky Way galaxy whose electromagnetic emissions (radio waves, etc.) In our solar system, only one of the four rocky bodies with surface deformation and volcanic activity — Earth — has plate tectonics. Three others — Venus, Mars and Jupiter’s moon Io — are actively deforming and have young volcanoes, but they lack plate tectonics, Stern said. By creating and destroying habitats, plate tectonics puts moderate but incessant environmental stress on species to evolve and adapt.