| Extreme | Extreme | |
1. Strong nuclear force constantSmall scale attractive force, holds nuclei of atoms together which otherwise repulse each other because of the electromagnetic force |
if larger: no hydrogen would form; atomic nuclei for most life-essential elements would be unstable; thus, no life chemistry | if smaller: no elements heavier than hydrogen would form: again, no life chemistry |
2. Weak nuclear force constantGoverns radioactive decay |
if larger: too much hydrogen would convert to helium in big bang; hence, stars would convert too much matter into heavy elements making life chemistry impossible | if smaller: too little helium would be produced from big bang; hence, stars would convert too little matter into heavy elements making life chemistry impossible |
3. Gravitational force constantLarge scale attractive force which holds people on planets, and holds planets, stars and galaxies together |
if larger: stars would be too hot and would burn too rapidly and too unevenly for life chemistry; Stars burn up too quickly | if smaller: stars would be too cool to ignite nuclear fusion; thus, many of the elements needed for life chemistry would never form; Planets and stars cannot form |
4. Electromagnetic force constantSmall scale attractive and repulsive force, holds atoms electrons and atomic nuclei together |
if greater: chemical bonding would be disrupted; elements more massive than boron would be unstable to fission | if lesser: chemical bonding would be insufficient for life chemistry |
5. Ratio of electromagnetic force constant to gravitational force constant Mathematical Probability
Ratio of Electromagnetic Force:Gravity 1:10^40 |
if larger: all stars would be at least 40% more massive than the sun; hence, stellar burning would be too brief and too uneven for life support | if smaller: all stars would be at least 20% less massive than the sun, thus incapable of producing heavy elements |
6. Ratio of electron to proton mass |
if larger: chemical bonding, DNA life building blocks would be insufficient for life chemistry | if smaller: same as above |
7. Ratio of number of protons to number of electrons Mathematical Probability Ratio of Electrons:Protons 1:10^37 |
if larger: electromagnetism would dominate gravity, preventing galaxy, star, and planet formation | if smaller: same as above |
8. Expansion rate of the universe Mathematical Probability
Expansion Rate of Universe 1:10^55 |
if larger: no galaxies would form | if smaller: universe would collapse, even before stars formed |
9. Entropy level of the universe |
if larger: stars would not form within proto-galaxies | if smaller: no proto-galaxies would form |
10. Mass density of the universe Mathematical Probability Mass of Universe 1:10^59 |
if larger: overabundance of deuterium from big bang would cause stars to burn rapidly, too rapidly for life to form | if smaller: insufficient helium from big bang would result in a shortage of heavy elements |
11. Velocity of light |
if faster: stars would be too luminous for life support | if slower: stars would be insufficiently luminous for life support |
12. Age of the universe |
if older: no solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would exist in the right (for life) part of the galaxy | if younger: solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would not yet have formed |
13. Initial uniformity of radiation |
if more uniform: stars, star clusters, and galaxies would not have formed | if less uniform: universe by now would be mostly black holes and empty space |
14. Average distance between galaxies |
if larger: star formation late enough in the history of the universe would be hampered by lack of material | if smaller: gravitational tug-of-wars would destabilize the sun's orbit |
15. Density of galaxy cluster |
if denser: galaxy collisions and mergers would disrupt the sun's orbit | if less dense: star formation late enough in the history of the universe would be hampered by lack of material |
16. Average distance between stars |
if larger: heavy element density would be too sparse for rocky planets to form | if smaller: planetary orbits would be too unstable for life |
17. Fine structure constantDescribing the fine-structure splitting of spectral lines |
if larger than 0.06: matter would be unstable in large magnetic fields |
if smaller: all stars would be at least 80% more massive than the sun |
18. Decay rate of protons |
if greater: life would be exterminated by the release of radiation | if smaller: universe would contain insufficient matter for life |
19. 12C to 16O nuclear energy level ratio |
if larger: universe would contain insufficient oxygen for life | if smaller: universe would contain insufficient carbon for life |
20. Ground state energy level for 4He |
if larger: universe would contain insufficient carbon and oxygen for life | if smaller: same as above |
21. Decay rate of 8Be |
if faster: no element heavier than beryllium would form; thus, no life chemistry | if slower: heavy element fusion would generate catastrophic explosions in all the stars |
22. Ratio of neutron mass to proton mass |
if higher: neutron decay would yield too few neutrons for the formation of many life-essential elements | if lower: neutron decay would produce so many neutrons as to collapse all stars into neutron stars or black holes |
23. Initial excess of nucleons over anti-nucleons |
if greater: radiation would prohibit planet formation | if lesser: matter would be insufficient for galaxy or star formation |
24. Polarity of the water molecule |
if greater: heat of fusion and vaporization would be too high for life | if smaller: heat of fusion and vaporization would be too low for life; liquid water would not work as a solvent for life chemistry; ice would not float, and a runaway freeze-up would result |
25. Supernovae eruptionsOuter spiral arm of galaxy which allows a planet to stay safely away from supernovae eruptions |
if too far, too infrequent, or too soon: heavy elements would be too sparse for rocky planets to form | if too close, too frequent, or too late: radiation would exterminate life on the planet |
26. White dwarf binariesWhite Dwarf binaries are a reliable source of gravitational waves that help us map the structure of our own galaxy |
if too many: planetary orbits would be too unstable for life | if too few: insufficient fluorine would exist for life chemistry |
| if formed too late: fluorine would arrive too late for life chemistry | if formed too soon: insufficient fluorine production | |
27. Ratio of exotic matter mass to ordinary matter mass |
if larger: universe would collapse before solar-type stars could form | if smaller: no galaxies would form |
28. Number of effective dimensions in the early universe |
if larger: quantum mechanics, gravity, and relativity could not coexist; thus, life would be impossible | if smaller: same result |
29. Number of effective dimensions in the present universe |
if larger: electron, planet, and star orbits would become unstable | if smaller: same result |
30. Mass of the neutrino |
if larger: galaxy clusters and galaxies would be too dense | if smaller: galaxy clusters, galaxies, and stars would not form |
31. Big bang ripples |
if larger: galaxies/galaxy clusters would be too dense for life; black holes would dominate; universe would collapse before life-site could form | if smaller: galaxies would not form; universe would expand too rapidly |
32. Size of the relativistic dilation factor |
if larger: certain life-essential chemical reactions will not function properly | if smaller: same result |
33. Uncertainty magnitude in the Heisenberg uncertainty principle |
if larger: oxygen transport to body cells would be too great and certain life-essential elements would be unstable | if smaller: oxygen transport to body cells would be too small and certain life-essential elements would be unstable |
34. Cosmological constantWhich controls the expansion speed of the universe refers to the balance of the attractive force of gravity with a hypothesized repulsive force of space observable only at very large size scales. It must be very close to zero, that is, these two forces must be nearly perfectly balanced. To get the right balance, the cosmological constant must be fine-tuned Mathematical Probability
Cosmological Constant 1:10^120 |
if larger: universe would expand too quickly to form solar-type stars; universe would fly apart | if smaller, universe would collapse before stars formed |
35. Initial distribution of mass energy |
if larger, stars would not form within proto-galaxies | if smaller, no proto-galaxies would form |
36. Steady plate tectonics with right kind of geological interiorWhich allows the carbon cycle and generates a protective magnetic field |
if larger, the earth's plate tectonic recycling could not take place | |
37. Right amount of water in crustWhich provides the universal solvent for life |
if too much water, vital plants and vegetation would not grow and humans could not exist | if too little water, vital plants and vegetation would not grow and humans could not exist |
38. Moon with right rotation periodWhich stabilizes a planet's tilt and contributes to sea tides. In the case of the Earth, the gravitational pull of its moon stabilizes the angle of its axis at a nearly constant 23.5 degrees. This ensures relatively temperate seasonal changes, and the only climate in the solar system mild enough to sustain complex living organisms. |
if larger tilt, the unpredictable and unbearable climate would make it impossible for life to form | if smaller tilt, the unpredictable and unbearable climate would make it impossible for life to form |
39. Right concentration of sulfurWhich is necessary for important biological processes |
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40. Right planetary massWhich allows a planet to retain the right type and right thickness of atmosphere |
if smaller, the Earth's magnetic field would be weaker, allowing the solar wind to strip away our atmosphere, slowly transforming our planet into a dead, barren world much like Mars | |
41. Near inner edge of circumstellar habitable zonePlanet maintains the right amount of liquid water on the surface |
if too far, or if the Earth were about 20% farther from the Sun, it would experience runaway glaciations of the kind that has left Mars sterile | if too close, or if the Earth were just 5% closer to the Sun, it would be subject to the 288 same fate as Venus, a runaway greenhouse effect, with temperatures rising to nearly 900 degrees Fahrenheit |
42. Low-eccentricity circular orbit around galactic centerOrbit and giant planet resonances. Planet maintains a safe orbit over a long period of time which enables a planet to avoid traversing dangerous parts of the galaxy |
if too far, galaxy collisions and mergers would disrupt the sun's orbit | if too close, star formation late enough in the history of the universe would be hampered by lack of material |
43. Large Jupiter-mass planetary neighbors in large circular orbitsProtects the habitable zone from comet bombardments. The larger planets in our solar system provide significant protection to the Earth from the most dangerous comets |
if pull too strong, the Earth would pull devastating comets in that would cause mass extinction | if pull too weak, the Earth would be open to direct collisions with devastating comets that would cause mass extinction |
44. Within the galactic habitable zoneWhich allows a planet to have access to heavy elements while being safely away from the dangerous galactic center |
if too far, star formation late enough in the history of the universe would be hampered by lack of material | if too close, gravitational tug-of-wars would destabilize the sun's orbit |
45. During the cosmic habitable ageWhen heavy elements and active stars exist without too high a concentration of dangerous radiation events |
if long ago, no solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would exist in the right (for life) part of the galaxy | if recent, solar-type stars in a stable burning phase would not yet have formed |
| 14112 views · 9 mins ago | Author: Guest • Updated: 11 Jun 2019 |
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