From our human standpoint the universe seems illogically oversized for the number of humans residing on just one planet. But now scientists are finding out that if the density (mass) of protons and neutrons was only 1% smaller, nuclear fusion would not work efficiently and it would never be able to generate heavy elements like carbon, nitrogen, ovxygen, phosphorus, sodium or potassium. So what difference does that make you ask- those are exactly the elements we need to stay alive! If it was changed by just that 1% reduction we would only have light elements like helium and no earth, no people, no plants, no water!
Hmmm! Just a tiny bit smaller and poof! no human, plant, animal life! Touchy, touchy universe, needs to be watched over carefully doesn't it? Might bisbehave and eradicate everything, no life could exist!
If you examine the situation the other way and consider adjusting the universe 1% larger or more massive so that the protons and neutrons were a wee bit denser, heftier, then what? Surely we would be ok and it would not matter that much?
If the stuff of the universe was only 1% more massive than it is now, there would be too much nuclear fusion, and all the hydrogen would fuse into iron and again- no human life, no animal life and no plant life would exist. Same dilemma- no oxygen, no carbon, hydrogen, potassium, no sodium. So the universe needs to be monitored not only in one direction but in two directions to ensure that life is formed/created and sustained. Hmmm. Who could tackle such a huge job?
(Scientific facts about the recent discoveries about the universe's size from "Why the Universe is the Way It Is" by Hugh Ross).
Another interesting parallel to how sensitive the universe's nuclear fusion of the light and heavy elements one way being inefficient and not producing enough and the other way being overproductive makes one think of human beings balancing rest and work. Can you think of other lessons that can be learned from this?
Hmmm! Just a tiny bit smaller and poof! no human, plant, animal life! Touchy, touchy universe, needs to be watched over carefully doesn't it? Might bisbehave and eradicate everything, no life could exist!
If you examine the situation the other way and consider adjusting the universe 1% larger or more massive so that the protons and neutrons were a wee bit denser, heftier, then what? Surely we would be ok and it would not matter that much?
If the stuff of the universe was only 1% more massive than it is now, there would be too much nuclear fusion, and all the hydrogen would fuse into iron and again- no human life, no animal life and no plant life would exist. Same dilemma- no oxygen, no carbon, hydrogen, potassium, no sodium. So the universe needs to be monitored not only in one direction but in two directions to ensure that life is formed/created and sustained. Hmmm. Who could tackle such a huge job?
(Scientific facts about the recent discoveries about the universe's size from "Why the Universe is the Way It Is" by Hugh Ross).
Another interesting parallel to how sensitive the universe's nuclear fusion of the light and heavy elements one way being inefficient and not producing enough and the other way being overproductive makes one think of human beings balancing rest and work. Can you think of other lessons that can be learned from this?
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