The Fine-Tuning of the Universe and the Hand of God
 

In the universe there are unknown multitudes of galaxies containing within them innumerable planets. Among all the planets, our planet Earth is unique not only in our galaxy but perhaps the entire universe in its ability to sustain life. In the scientific community, there are some who attribute the exceptionality of the life sustaining capability we are privileged to here on Earth as nothing more than a winning of some kind of cosmic lottery. They claim that given enough planets in enough galaxies, the unguided hand of random chance would eventually churn out a planet capable of producing life such as ours somewhere in the universe.

However, there are other scientists who see many distinct conditions that allow for life on Earth. Considering these many precise factors that must be met to ensure our existence as we know it on Earth, they see signs of a fine-tuning that could not be the result of mere chance. This fine-tuning in turn points towards a Designer, who arranged everything in an orderly manner to create a unique world capable of life.

Imagine yourself coming across a bejeweled watch in a desert. Would you attribute its origins to random chance and circumstances? Logically you would come to the conclusion that someone designed and created this device. Far surpassing the complexities of the inner mechanical workings required for a watch to operate, the Earth has many more significant and interdependent requirements for life to be possible on it.

At the center of our solar system, the sun and its unique qualities play an integral part in our planets life sustaining ability. The sun is much more stable than most other stars. Over its eleven year cycle, the suns light output varies only one-tenth of one percent. This stability allows for a consistent climate on Earth as opposed to the resulting climate from otherwise wild swings of light output. (Strobel, 177) The distance of the Earth from the sun is another crucial factor. Only a change from 5 to 15 percent in the distance between the sun and the Earth would result in either the freezing or boiling of the water on our planet. (http://www.forum2.org/tal/books/rare.html)

Our moon, more than merely a muse for poets, also plays an important role in maintaining life on Earth. Our planets seasons result from its tilt due to the moons influence. Stabilizing the tilt of the Earths axis, the moon enables us to have the mild seasons that are hospitable to life. Without it, we would experience wild swings of temperatures. In addition to keeping our axis stable, the moons size contributes to the Earths tides which in turn also help to regulate the temperature.(Strobel, 179)

The expansion rate of the universe plays a crucial role in supporting life. Fine-tuned to one part in a trillion trillion trillion trillion trillion, if it were a little faster or a little slower life would not be possible. (Strobel, 78) If it were too fast, neither galaxies nor stars would be able to condense from the expansion and if it were too slow the universe would collapse in on itself. (http://www.reasons.org/resources/fff/2000issue03/index.shtml)

The shape of our planets galaxy, the Milky Way, is more hospitable for supporting life than the other two types of galaxies. Being a Spiral Galaxy, our galaxy provides safe zones for potentially life producing planets like ours. It is very dangerous wherever there is active formation of stars with the resulting regular exploding of supernovae. In Spiral galaxies this activity mostly takes place in the spiral arms. Our planet is nestled safely between the two spiral arms of Sagittarius and Perseus. The Elliptical Galaxies (the most prevalent type) contain stars that visit every part of the galaxy including the dense and dangerous inner regions where black holes abound. Finally, the Irregular Galaxies are filled with exploding supernovae much worse than even the Elliptical Galaxies contain. ( Strobel,168-171)

Our Solar Systems other planets also factors into the habitability of Earth. Jupiter, with a mass 300 times that of Earths, shields our planet from comet collisions which could have disastrous effects to life here. With its tremendous gravitational pull, Jupiter serves as an excellent buffer for our planet. Saturn and Uranus also serve the same function for blocking comets from us to a lesser extent. For blocking asteroids from the Earth, Mars is on the front line with Venus also lending support. To get an idea of the effects of asteroids colliding with the Earth, one need only to gaze up at the moons many craters. (Strobel, 173-174)

These are only a few among many of the variables needed to sustain life on Earth. There are many more in other fields of Science outside of Astronomy as well as many in Astronomy that were not touched on in this short paper. With the location of the Earth being so wonderfully conductive towards life, combined with many other life permitting factors of our universe that are balanced on the head of a pin, there clearly must be a design behind our world. Order comes from the execution of well calculated plans, not out of sheer chaos. To quote Albert Einstein, God does not pay dice with the universe. Truly our world shows the wonderful and deliberate work of a skilled Architect as well as proof for His existence.

Bibliography

Strobel, L. (2004) The Case for a Creator

Grand Rapids, Zondervan

http://www.forum2.org/tal/books/rare.html (April 9^th, 2006)

http://www.reasons.org/resources/fff/2000issue03/index.shtml (April 9^th, 2006)