Alone in the Universe

Based on the above equation, it is estimated that there are 1,000 to 100,000 technologically advanced civilizations (that is to say, civilizations capable of sending messages via radio signals) in the Milky Way Galaxy.

Furthermore, there are at least 100 billion -- and possibly as  many as 500 billion -- other galaxies in the universe in addition to our own.

Multiply these two figures (lowest x lowest & highest x highest) and the number of civilizations in the universe that roughly approximate our own would be between 100 quintillion (10¹³) and 500 sextillion (5 x 10¹⁵).

There are 7 billion people on Earth. If each civilization listed above consists of approximately the same number of individuals, the total number of other thinking creatures in the universe would be between 7 x 10²² and 35 x 10²⁴.

We may be isolated, we may be insignificant, but we are, most assuredly, not alone in the Universe.