Although few consider it, the complexity of fine tuning a composition can be overwhelming yet a source of endless fascination. Even when you limit the investigation to a few elements or components, the number of options and the dynamic relationships between each element leads to what I often call the “crisis of infinite possibilities.” When you focus in and are studying a particular composition, you understand that moving one element a quarter inch to the left,
for instance, can have a dramatic influence on the result. The wrong move can easily drain a composition of its life and vitality. I understand this may be a stretch for many, and it is certainly difficult to imagine that such a small move could have such a significant impact. That is why I was so delighted to learn about the findings of numerous scientific investigations that illustrate this idea of fine tuning as it relates to life in our universe.
Most are familiar with the term “Big Bang,” a phrase coined by Fred Hoyle, a British astronomer, in 1949. It described a theory that the universe can be traced back to a specific point in history and a massive explosion. In recent years, evidence and observations have been piling up in support of this theory, the nature of our expanding universe as well as our unique situation on planet earth. Most of us can intuit the special qualities of our planet and its ability to support life, but these recent discoveries have illuminated how very special it is. Our earth can support life because it is in a perfect distance from the sun and has the perfect mass to preserve the atmosphere around our planet.
Oddly enough, Jupiter and Saturn are the perfect mass and distance from earth to absorb most of the asteroids that would otherwise pummel our planet — eventually destroying the conditions required for life. Our solar system is also in the perfect position within the universe to support life on our planet.
The conditions that need to be met for life to exist on our planet and the odds of these conditions being met are startling and truly mind boggling. One of the most dramatic illustrations of fine tuning relates to the mass of the universe, which, remarkably, has been calculated. Hugh Ross, astrophysicist at Cal Tech, explains in his book, Why the Universe Is the Way It Is, that if the universe’s mass was altered by one part in 10 to the 60th power, it could not support life. This is a very large number … so to put in simpler terms: If the entire mass of the universe was changed as little as the weight of a dime, it would eliminate the possibility of life. This calculation is so outrageous it is difficult to comprehend … but perhaps now it is less difficult to imagine how fine tuning can impact a particular composition and how special it is when you seem to get it right.